


No-One But You (The Promise Of Tomorrow)

by starkyoukai



Series: No-One But You [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Comics), Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Best Friends, Confusion, F/M, Friendship, Insecurity, Jealousy, Life Partners, Love, M/M, Matter of Life and Death, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Stony - Freeform, Tension, True Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:02:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 98
Words: 84,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28950837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkyoukai/pseuds/starkyoukai
Summary: Steve was taking what Tony was doing and saying too literally. It seemed like he was summing up their life. Tony started behaving differently at some point, and Steve couldn’t figure out why.**This is the fifth story in the No-One But You series. **
Relationships: Clea Strange/Stephen Strange, James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: No-One But You [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717399
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	1. Tiger Striped Cat (Part 1)

The Promise of Tomorrow

* * *

Chapter One: Tiger Striped Cat

_..._

_  
Ever heard this story?_  


_..._

Tony was incorrect. He got the dates all wrong and failed to calculate the actual timeframe.

Tony thought that he met Steve Rogers five years ago. Five years felt correct. He lived with him and built some sort of life, but the lapse of time was a total blur.

He put those thoughts in music, because he couldn’t say it out loud. Tony couldn’t really talk about anything he was doing so he expressed it through his suit.

Five years, three years, ten years...

He really didn’t know. Steve wasn’t that much help with it either. The blonde only showed his support. He made it to every show, and he listened to every single note.

The two of them were at a dark club, but the area around them had changed. They weren’t in New York, so Steve felt strange.

The show was just getting started, so the blonde let it go and he just watched Tony. His brunette stood on small stage, but he hardly looked up at the crowd. Steve stared at him, and listened to the sounds that his suit produced.

Tony stole some words that he heard on some show and he manipulated them into a song. He always told a story to anyone out there that would listen, and it made the soldier worry.

_"There once was a tiger striped cat.”_

It was never Tony’s voice as he spoke out the story, but it felt like they were his words being disguised. His suit altered what was said, and Steve started looking around.

_“This cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives...”_

...

_“He was owned by various people who he didn’t really care for...”_

...

......

People actually liked the music that Tony produced. He had a good voice when he did sing, and a pretty large following at that point. Tony didn’t even have to try.

Steve was very intimidated by it. The Steve Rogers in this story wasn’t familiar with that sort of obsession, so he didn’t understand the attention that Tony was receiving. 

...

_“The cat wasn’t afraid to die....”_

...

..

That attention was becoming a constant thing. It felt like he was losing Tony, and Steve didn’t understand. He kept watching Tony’s music unfold, and he tried to keep his heart in his chest.

It felt like the music was forcing his heart out. Steve had to touch his own skin. He watched Tony as he continued with the musical story.

_“Then, one day, the cat became a stray cat, which meant he was free...”_

_.._

_“He met a white female cat, and the two of them spent their days together happily.”_

_..._

_“Well, years passed, and the white cat grew weak and died of old age.”_

_.._

_“The tiger striped cat cried a million times, and then he died too...”_

_..._

_“Except this time, he didn’t come back to life....”_

...

.....

Steve was taking what Tony was doing and saying too literally. It seemed like he was summing up their life. Tony started behaving differently at some point, and Steve couldn’t figure out why.

The soldier was already told that he was insecure by someone, and he accepted that. Now he was eloped, insecure, and listening to Tony explain his own death.

It all felt very surreal. The tempo of the song changed and Steve slowly crossed his arms. The popularity of the song had changed as well, and it seemed like the entire building changed with it.

Tony had such a strange power within him, and it was freaking Steve out.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. 


	2. Tiger Striped Cat (Part 2)

Chapter Two: Tiger Striped Cat (Part 2)

* * *

Steve wandered toward the back of the club. Tony’s show was over, but the music was still moving the walls. It felt like the whole ceiling was going to cave in as he walked.

People tried to speak to him. The blonde just gave them a small smile, but he never engaged with anyone other than Tony.

It felt like they were obsessed with him. Steve didn’t really like a building full of people watching Tony’s every move. It was...

...

Crazy. Insane. Steve didn’t expect the development, and he saw it as a strange fascination. He pondered all of that as he made his way into one of the back rooms. The two of them normally had to wait for the sea of people to leave.

Steve let himself in, and he noticed Tony across the room. The brunette dropped his soaking wet shirt toward his feet, and he continued changing out of his clothing.

Steve held a soft smile and he closed the door.

“I think we can get out of here a bit earlier this time. We’re parked in a good spot.”

Normally they would walk home, or take some sort of public transportation. All of that had changed, and Steve was still getting used to it.

They both lived together in two different locations. Tony bought a house in California, because he couldn’t work or share a building with his father.

Stark Industries was expanding, so Steve had to spend part of his week away from Brooklyn.

Transportation was different in Cali because they actually had to drive out of the city. Steve didn’t respond to Tony’s comment, but he gave what was said a good amount of thought.

“We could use a portal to the car, then ditch the groupies.”

Yes? No? Maybe so? Tony was busy tying one of his expensive shoes. His foot was up on some sort of vanity, and his hair was a mess. Steve just continued his quiet stare, and he picked up both of their jackets.

He really wanted to go home. They weren’t “groupies” for him. Steve thought they were zombies. Flesh and soul eating zombies, actually.

He forced the thought out of his head, and he walked closer toward him. Tony gave a super small sigh, and he looked up at Steve.

That soldier boy was too quiet. Tony showed him a playful smile and he relaxed back against his chair. He rocked back a bit, and he kept looking up.

“Whut?”

Cat got your tongue? Tony’s smile got a little bigger, and Steve moved the jackets around. He switched them from one arm to the other, and slowly leaned forward.

Steve gave Tony’s forehead a simple kiss, and he said that he was ready to go.

Go where? Tony wondered. He also wondered when he’d get a good kiss. The thought made him bite his lip. He kept looking up at Steve, and he started wondering what he thought.

“Did you like the show?”

He had to ask him every time. Steve did like watching Tony. He liked hearing what was on his mind, and what he had to say. But the soldier had a hard time saying it in that moment.

He didn’t like all the other people watching, that was his problem. Tony was showing everyone some deep emotions, and they got to see him in a translucent suit.

“I did. Yes.”

Steve reminded himself to answer. He took a side step because that brunette stood up. Tony kept looking in his eyes until he brought his focus down to Steve’s hands.

“What did you like about it?”

Tony knew that he could get pretty crazy on that stage. It couldn’t be helped. The brunette gently gripped his fancy jacket as he pondered Steve’s behavior. The blonde brought that jacket up and he held it behind Tony’s shoulders.

Steve helped him into his jacket, then he slowly kissed that forehead again. He could easily tell him that he liked it all.

Steve liked the entire package, but it was something that he wanted only for himself.

That thought really spooked the blonde more than anything, so he kept quiet, and closed up the front of that jacket.

Those two lived by the ocean, so it got pretty cold at night. Steve finally said that the portal idea was a good one, and he offered to drive them home.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	3. Tiger Striped Cat (Part 3)

Chapter Three: Tiger Striped Cat (Part 3)

* * *

Steve pulled the car up the fancy driveway, and he parked it in the giant garage. The garage door slowly closed behind the vehicle, and the two of them unbuckled their seatbelts.

Steve just let his go and it rolled back up against his chest. He looked over at Tony. The brunette was about to open his door, but he stopped and looked over at Steve.

It was a pretty quiet car ride. Tony tried to start a conversation several times, but Steve was clearly in a mood. He was contemplative and beautiful.

His silence drove Tony crazy, but he didn’t complain. Tony only waited. The brunette still wanted a better kiss. He was waiting for it, and thinking about getting a good one.

Tony felt like he earned it, but life wasn’t very fair.

Steve was almost sure about what he wanted to say. He thought about their relationship a lot, so he didn’t want to toss around his thoughts and words.

They stole a wedding ceremony that belonged to someone else. The two of them took off and eloped. Steve finally felt like they were alone.

He glanced at Tony again and he saw what he was doing with his lips. Tony was licking at his bottom lip, and chewing on it just a bit.

The soldier wanted to move over toward him, but he refrained and pulled the keys out of the ignition.

“Do you think we are alone here?”

They were living in Santa Monica for most of the week. Steve missed Brooklyn, but things weren’t the same. Tony was too popular there. They couldn’t live freely any longer, or roam the streets.

People were always waiting outside their apartment, and it upset Steve all the time. Before that, they had a White Jackal in their bedroom.

Before that, they had someone else in the mix. Before someone else, they had a person Tony described as “the best friend from hell”.

Before that, they had a looming surveillance around them that they needed to escape. Steve didn’t feel like he was really alone with Tony, so he stared down at the keys in his hand.

Tony was processing what he said, and a guilt began to set in. Steve’s behavior was technically his fault, because he brought the paranoia into their relationship right away.

Right from the start, Tony told him that they were being watched.

Where they really alone in that moment? Tony had to think about it. He moved a little closer to Steve and he sucked in a deep breath.

“I think so. I feel like I am alone with you right now.”

He didn’t like what Steve had on his mind. Tony’s guilt on that continued because he was responsible for making it grow.

He almost convinced Steve to let someone else in. Tony changed his mind, but he could tell that it did something to Steve that he had been unable to fix.

Now, he was bringing everyone in. The whole world was welcome for very specific reasons. Tony had it all planned out.

He kept looking over at his summer boy, but he didn’t get a response. Steve just looked over at his unruly brunette and he leaned in close.

They kissed in the car, and it became Tony’s turn to hold onto his chest. Any contact like that from Steve made his body burn up.

Those lips met his neck, and Tony felt immediately consumed. He wasn’t sure how to make it right, but he tried to tell Steve that they were alone.

He was the only one, and they were alone. Tony told him something similar every now and then. He always said that there was no-one but you, and Steve listened every single time.

Tony tried to tell him again in that moment, but those blonde lips abruptly covered his.

Steve stopped him from saying anything more. He dominated the small space in that car, and he kept their conversation physical.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	4. Tiger Striped Cat (Part 4)

Chapter Four: Tiger Striped Cat (Part 4)

* * *

Bucky Barnes was in his apartment. He shared that apartment with a young woman named Donna. She was Stephen Strange’s younger sister, and Bucky had been dating her for a pretty long time.

No clue how long, but Bucky could figure it out if he had to. He didn’t need to do that at the moment, so he just relaxed in his favorite chair.

He normally sat by one of the windows in the kitchen, and smoked a cigarette.

Bucky finally kicked that habit, so he just listened to the radio instead. Donna was off doing something. It was Bucky’s day off so his attention span was pretty null.

His focus centered on an alert that he suddenly received, and he looked up at a small screen.

The technology he had was becoming more advanced, so he looked over the alert and accepted an incoming video call.

Stark Industries was calling him, and Bucky thought it was odd. Normally Howard called him from a direct line. The number was just some generic Stark Industries phone number, so he accepted the call.

Donna walked into the kitchen just as he answered. The screen popped open wide, and the person calling came into view.

It was not Howard Stark at all. Bucky’s left eyebrow arched up very high as the person spoke.

“Hey, Uhh... are you busy?”

“What do you want...”

TCH. Tony immediately rolled his eyes because Bucky’s response was shit. That was not how Tony wanted their conversation to begin, so he swallowed down the urge to choke him, and he moved on.

“I don’t WANT anything, I’m just ... calling to, catch up.”

“Bullshit. What do you want Tony...”

His tone was cruel, and Tony gasped in every ounce of hatred that he had for Steve’s nightmare of a best friend. Bucky Fucking Barnes pissed Tony off immediately, and his face clearly displayed what he felt.

Donna Strange softly laughed. She covered her mouth with her free hand, because she was busy putting up her hair. Bucky was always pretty rude to Tony, and Donna found it to be amusing.

“Fine. Prick. I’m calling because I just.. I wanted to, talk to you about... something.”

Someone, actually. Tony felt like dying at his beautiful desk. Bucky’s face lit up like it was a summer day, and he smiled at the screen. Oh he was all ears.

Bucky couldn’t think of a time when he was happier. That moment was magical for him.

“What did you do now?”

THE FUCK?!!! Tony wanted to scream at that smug face, but Pepper came into his office. She probably planned to hand him some paperwork CRAP, but Tony was not in the mood.

“I didn’t DO anything, jackass. Steve is just in a super weird place. I want to do something with him, or for him, but I don’t want it to be anything he’d be expecting. I thought you’d be a cool person to talk to about it for once, but apparently that plan is shot.”

Bucky listened to that extremely wordy explanation, and he summed the situation up pretty quickly. He glanced over at Donna, but then he gave Tony’s babbling a bit more thought.

“I thought you were supposed to be smart.”

Bucky gave his input, and Tony almost hit the roof. He came back into the conversation, and he immediately started asking Bucky what his problem was. 

The two of them never spoke kindly to each other, and it didn’t seem like any of that was going to change. Pepper left the papers on the desk, and she kinda cringed at what she was hearing.

“Steve is in a “super weird place” because you have a bunch of freaks outside his apartment. He doesn’t want to be in California all the timewith your selfish shit, so get over yourself... and get rid of your fan club.”

Bye. Bucky seriously rolled his eyes at Tony Stark. He thought that Steve’s tech “genius”, spoon-fed snob could be super dense. Bucky told him exactly how he saw it, and he didn’t care if Tony was offended.

Well, Tony was pretty offended, but he was a trooper. He always knew that Bucky hated him, but his brutal honesty always hit different.

Tony kept staring at the screen for a bit, and he slowly recovered from what was said.

“Wow. UHM, it’s not that simple. I’m .. that music stuff is a bit out of my control.”

Tony discovered that it was a loophole, but he didn’t have the patience to break it down for Steve’s asshole of a friend. 

There were things that he couldn’t physically say, so he recorded other people saying it, and he expressed it through music. Loophole.

Tony cleared his throat, because Bucky looked pretty done with the conversation. Well fuck that, Tony still needed to say some stuff to him. Speaking to Bucky about Steve’s current state felt like the best idea.

Maybe Tony was off base with that, but he had to try.

“He told me that it feels like we are never alone. I understand where he is coming from, but all of that surveillance stuff is gone. We are alone, but ...”

Tony lost his train of thought. He sighed and rubbed on his forehead a little. Bucky was rocking back a bit in his chair, until he heard Tony continue on with his bullshit.

“Clearly, you’re not alone with him. I don’t know why you are bringing this up to me.”

Bucky began to wonder if Tony was trying to piss him off. Steve’s unruly brunette was always in a million places as once, so the advice Bucky had for him wasn’t going to be pretty.

Tony rolled his eyes at Bucky for the millionth time. He brought it up because he wanted to friggen TALK to him about Steve. Was there some sort of problem with that?

“I AM alone with him. There’s just something beyond me with this music thing. I know that sounds insane. I’m thinking Stephen knows something more about it...”

Tony’s thoughts were drifting off. He was pondering several things. Bucky returned to leaning back in his chair, but he momentarily held his breath when Tony brought up Stephen Strange.

Seriously?

“Jeepers, that’s a great idea Tony. Bring Stephen into the situation. That all seems unfinished anyway.”

Unfinished?? That shit with Stephen was very finished.

Ok. Tony picked up a pencil. He broke that pencil with a snap because Bucky just struck his last nerve. It seemed like Bucky Barnes had a whole lot more to say to him, and Tony was ready to throw down.

Let’s go bro. Tony was so beyond ready to snap his neck.

Donna could tell that those two harbored some serious bad blood. The animosity was thick between them, and she barely noticed it until that moment. Whoa, she stepped closer toward the table.

“Look, it’s not that hard to turn Steve’s negative thoughts around. Why don’t you try paying attention to him? Maybe? Can you figure that one out?”

Bucky felt exhausted with Tony. He seriously gave out a sigh, but Tony didn’t budge. He did pay attention to Steve. Tony was with him 24/7.

Tony understood that he was screwing up, but Bucky seemed extra harsh in that moment. Donna kinda even started thinking the same thing.

It was the first time she had really seen the two of them interact. They normally avoided one another, and now...

Donna could feel some serious hatred. She glanced back and forth between the two.

Oh. OH. OH OHHHHHHHHH!!! Tony’s entire body was seething with anger at that point. He regretted reaching out for a damn helping hand. One brunette glared at the other, and he tried to process all of that hate.

“Do you friggen miss your bestie being down the hall or some shit? What the hell is your problem?”

It didn’t have to be an all out war here. Tony was just trying to have a conversation. Some sort of reality about Bucky’s anger was kicking in for Tony. Bells of clarity were ringing and he turned his focus toward Donna Strange.

Tony seriously had an epiphany, so his fangs decided to emerge. He took one look at Donna, and decided to get petty and flip the table.

“JEEPERS BUCKY, does she even know about the two of you? Did you tell her about all the fun ya had with Steve up in Kathmandu?”

Suck on that, prick. Tony was really starting to read between the lines.

A LIAR was always gonna be a LIAR, and that’s exactly what Bucky Barnes was. That lovely phone call between them abruptly ended, and Tony wasn’t surprised.

Bucky ended the chat, and Tony stood up from his fancy office chair. His anger level was through the roof, because he knew that arrogant bastard was still in love with Steve.

He always was, always would be, and his punk ass just got exposed.

Talk about unfinished?

That one gesture Bucky made on Steve centuries ago indicated how he still felt, and it was something that Tony never let slip.

OH! OH! OHHHHHH!!!! :$/8247!_€]^]*~!~!__|€[!?!:!/!!!! TONY WAS SO BEYOND PISSED. He left his office, and headed straight home. He fully intended to “pay attention” to Steve, just like his BFF politely said.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	5. Tiger Striped Cat (Part 5)

Chapter Five: Tiger Striped Cat (Part 5)

* * *

While Tony was at work, Steve explored the beach. They had their own little personal section of the Pacific Ocean, and it was making Steve’s early morning runs feel a little.. different.

He missed Brooklyn, but the lack of noise was beginning to grow on him. The feel of actual sunshine was doing something to him as well, but the blonde kept the thoughts about it to himself.

The air was cleaner, and it wasn’t...

...

...

.....

.......

freezing cold.

He never went to the ocean in New York. The vibe was very different, and everything was kinda gray. Steve could only see giant buildings when he ventured out with Tony.

The brunette always took him into the city, and he began to take notice of the two different atmospheres.

Brooklyn and Santa Monica were extremely different. Steve pondered that as he relaxed out on the beach. He listened to the ocean, and his big heart started playing tricks.

Tony felt like they were alone there, so...

Steve sat up, and he started glancing down toward his waist. He was getting too much sun, so the soldier relocated.

As he moved toward a large rock, Steve pulled a screen up from the technology that he kept concealed. He decided to call someone, because there were a few things on his mind.

Steve’s blonde feet were wading around through the water as he put his phone call through. He waited patiently for someone to pick up, and he realized that he lost track of the time.

He heard a familiar voice on the screen. Steve quickly looked up from the sand, and he heard that certain someone say hello to him for the second time.

“Hello, Stephen. Sorry, I’m a bit distracted.”

The water was sucking Steve in. He was getting entranced by the ocean, and Stephen Strange turned his head to the side. He could see Steve wandering around on some beach.

The thought of him relaxing made the sorcerer smile a bit, but he brushed off the apology.

“That’s fine Steve. Where’s your better half?”

He couldn’t hear any of Tony’s noise out there, so he assumed that Steve was alone. Stephen heard him laugh a little and he responded pretty quickly.

“Tony is at work. Where’s yours?”

The Sorcerer Supreme glanced toward the right side of the room. His wife’s name was Clea. She was there in the flesh, and showing something to his brother Victor.

“She’s here. What’s up?”

It had been quite a while. Stephen hadn’t seen Tony or Steve since the day he was married. He could tell that they moved out of New York, and that was fine for him.

Stephen was overwhelmed by their energy all the time, so the space between them was appreciated. He never planned to tell them that, so he returned his focus toward the wandering Steve Rogers.

The blonde mentioned something about Tony’s music. Steve asked him if he had heard any of it recently. The three of them spent some time together, back in the day, and Tony shared what he had with them.

Outside that, Stephen could only shake his head no. Tony’s musical endeavor amused him, but the sorcerer had a pretty full plate.

“Victor’s probably heard some of it. He’s into weird shit.”

Stephen softly smiled, because Victor quickly fired back a response. Steve heard the comment and he stepped over some slimy rocks. He found himself some sturdy support for his feet, and he told Stephen that he wanted him to hear it soon.

“It’s different. He’s developing a bit of a following because of what he is doing, and I think you need to see a show.”

“You mean, Tony has groupies?”

Please. Stephen started laughing immediately. Steve’s smile became much bigger, and he finally looked up at that screen. He saw Stephen at his mystical desk. He wasn’t dressed like the Sorcerer Supreme in that moment, but Steve felt like he looked the part.

Stephen took notice of Steve’s lack of clothing. He was only wearing blue swim shorts, and that sun-kissed skin.

Seeing those two again could get him into some trouble, so Stephen gave his response some more thought.

“It feels like his music is manipulating people. Even me, sometimes.. but, I don’t know how to describe it.”

Steve had to stop there. The thought of Tony’s music made him stop where he stood. That behavior made Stephen focus a little more on what was actually being said.

“When does he plan to dance again?”

Stephen kept the humor going. He pretended like he was not interested, but the manipulation part of the story sparked a red flag. Steve gently laughed at the joke, and he looked back over at the house.

“He doesn’t dance Stephen. He just moves, I guess you can call it dancing. Maybe?”

Either way, Tony only did his show once a month. He mentioned that to Stephen, and he kept looking over at the house. It felt like Tony was home. Steve turned his attention back to Stephen, and he told him goodbye.

The sorcerer told him that he would be at the next show. Stephen ended the call, and he started looking into Tony’s little gig right away.

He already had a strong theory going, all he needed to do in that moment was turn back the clock. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	6. We Run LA (Part 1)

Chapter Six: We Run LA (Part 1)

* * *

  
Stephen stood up from his desk. He brought up one hand, and gestured for that cloak to head in his direction. It attached itself to his shoulders and he started heading for the door.

Clea watched him stand up, and she smiled. The ruler of the Dark Dimension knew where Stephen was headed. They spoke about the Mind Stone every now and then, and the peculiar connection that it had to Tony Stark.

Stephen gave Clea a very quick grin before he left, and then he headed straight for the meditation room. He dropped his Mind Stone mission a while ago because someone out therekept getting on his case.

Stephen expected that person to show up as soon as he started digging, and that was fine with him. The sorcerer was up for the challenge, so he took his place in the center of the room.

Stephen closed his eyes, and he focused on his noisy friend. The room started turning a shade of neon green, and everything around Stephen began warping backward.

Counter clockwise, the world around him spun. He stopped in a filthy little night club somewhere outside Santa Monica.

He saw that noisy friend of his on a stage, and Stephen couldn’t stop the smile that formed on his face. In an extremely well hidden section of his heart, Stephen Strange held a hefty amount of love for Tony.

He loved that walking squawk box...and perhaps, in another life he was able to show it. 

Stephen hoped for that. He was floating up above him, until he slowly brought himself down to Tony’s eye level. He kept looking at that beautiful person and then he touched the amulet that was draped around his neck.

That “eye” had the ability to resume time, so he used it and pressed start on the show. Tony’s face moved immediately, and Stephen watched him look out at the gathered crowd.

Tony was unable to see him, so he carried on with his little musical endeavor, while Stephen watched his every move.

He kinda wanted popcorn, because Tony was a very entertaining person. Stephen heard the musical story begin and he turned his head slightly.

An unrecognizable voice started telling everyone about a tiger striped cat, and Stephen immediately imagined Hoggoth. It felt like Tony was explaining the entity, so naturally Stephen was intrigued.

He kept on watching and his interest was picking up. Tony’s translucent suit began to build up over his skin, and he had that group of people almost mesmerized before the first song even started.

“Huh, go figure.”

Stephen spoke out loud because he couldn’t believe what his eyes were actually looking at. Tony’s techno dreamland had the Sorcerer Supreme a little shook. 

It didn’t....

...  
  


.... he didn’t really notice any Mind Stone activity, but he felt entranced right off the bat. Tony’s music pulsed out around him, and Stephen felt like he needed to secure where he was stationed.

Tony actually sang a little for the first song, so Stephen listened intently to every single word.

The song was clearly welcoming everyone into the bizarre little world that he had built up. Stephen caught onto the clever theme, and he smiled a little at what Tony was saying.

He thought that noisy person was too friggen cute. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	7. We Run LA (Part 2)

Chapter Seven: We Run LA (Part 2)

* * *

Steve rinsed off as much sand as he could, and he headed up to the house. He opened the giant sliding glass door, and he started looking around for Tony.

The soldier boy didn’t know what time it was, but he started thinking that Tony was home early. Steve’s assumption was correct.

He watched Tony pry out of his fancy shoes. He seemed a little tense, so Steve rubbed the back of his own neck.

Tony saw that golden boy walk in. They had a good night together, and Tony kept thinking about it. They both had a buzz going on because of what they did the night before. Steve was all bashful about their sexy hook up, Tony could tell.

He gave Steve a warm smile, and then he tossed his shoe in a bin. Tony wasn’t going to let Bucky fucking Wonder ruin his day.

No thanks. He forgot all about that jerk for the moment. Tony fully intended to get in his face the instant he saw him in person. Steve’s best buddy was gonna get kicked in the teeth.

“....you ok?”

Steve had to ask. Tony looked pretty frazzled. The brunette snapped his focus away from murdering Bucky, and he looked at that honey blonde body. Hoo hooo Steve kept acting all shy and curious.

Tony thought that he looked adorable.

“Uhhma, I’m great. Wanna do something?”

Tony’s grin was very wide. His face was all teeth, and Steve became a little suspicious. Tony was visibly upset when he walked in, Steve could tell.

“Wanna do what?”

He had to know. Steve crossed his arms gently, and Tony playfully rolled his eyes. He wasn’t gonna play any games with Steve in that moment. Tony just kept his smile going strong, and he closed up that distance between them.

“I dunno just, cruise?”

That was a thought. Tony asked him the first option, but Steve’s posture started strengthening up. He could tell that something happened, so there would be no cruising going on until he knew what was up.

Tony caught that vibe. He chuckled a little and he removed his expensive jacket. TONY WASN’T SAYING JACK SHIT.

He planned to wait and deal with his issues when the time was right.

Tony glanced over at that blonde. Steve was only wearing shorts, and it was yummy. He didn’t intend to give Bucky another minute of his time, so he started heading over toward Steve.

The soldier carefully watched every single move that Tony made, until he got an alert on his secret tech. Steve had a call coming in, and he blinked at the name several times.

“Oh look, Bucky is calling me.”

Steve politely smiled and he picked up the line. Tony immediately tensed up, and the desire to scream returned to him. He tried to play it cool, but Bucky was fucking dead.

Steve said his damn greetings, and he asked Bucky what was up. Tony stood with a scowl on his face, because he heard that asshole saying something about putting in a vote for S.H.I.E.L.D.

.........

Tony rolled his eyes yet again, and he turned his back on the chat. Steve responded cordially but he kept glancing over at Tony.

He was inspecting his behavior, then he gave Bucky his undivided focus.

“Do you know what the vote is supposed to be about?”

“A new recruit. I was just told about it, so the rest of the details are pretty vague.”

Bucky didn’t know that Tony was in the room, and he really didn’t care if he was. He received a call from Nick Fury, and the subject needed to be discussed with Steve.

Tony’s immature shit caused him to have a hard conversation with Donna, and things were changing as a result.

Bucky wasn’t devastated or anything, but he didn’t plan on being home for a while.

“I’m heading in now. I can vote on your behalf, if you want. You’re clearly not ready for a meeting.”

From Bucky’s view, it looked like Steve wasn’t wearing anything. Steve glanced down at his beach attire and his bashful nature took over.

OH, WOW. He forgot ...

The blonde stumbled through some sort of apology, and he saw Bucky shrug. Tony listened to him mention that he would vote for him again, and Steve said that was fine.

It took all of Tony to maintain his cool. He wanted to snap into that screen and light Bucky up where he stood. Every time he flipped the table on that prick, it seemed to always fall back in his face.

Tony decided to remain silent for once, but all of his anger started boiling up. He heard Steve say his friendly goodbye, and that wonderful phone call ended.

Groovy. Wonderful. FANTASTIC.

Tony started folding up his expensive jacket, and he looked over at their bedroom door. The room was way off in the distance, so he decided to look over at Steve.

Steve just kept his arms crossed, because something was going on. Bucky’s phone call wasn’t out of the ordinary, but Tony’s reaction to it was definitely a clue.

It felt like a standoff between them was about to begin, but Tony didn’t want it to go that far.

“Your friend is a liar.”

There. Tony said the only thing that he wanted to say, and he made his way toward the room. Steve watched him leave, and he contemplated what Tony said.

The temperature in the room started picking up a bit for Steve, because there was really only one thing that Bucky would be lying about.

And, for Tony to be that upset?

Yeah... Steve got the hint loud and clear. The soldier quickly assessed the situation and he thought it was a smart idea to let Tony cool off.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	8. We Run LA (Part 3)

Chapter Eight: We Run LA (Part 3)

* * *

Bucky Barnes left his apartment. He packed up a bulky duffel bag, because he planned to stay away from the apartment for a long while.

Donna Strange broke up with him. They didn’t argue, drag it out, or do anything like that. He just explained what happened between him and Steve, and she decided that she wanted to leave.

Donna told him that he obviously had an ideal person in his head, and that he should probably figure out why.

She planned to move out, so Bucky decided to give her the space she needed to do that. It was an unexpected development, but Bucky moved on. 

He wasn’t supposed to be working, but he went in after he got the news about the vote. Bucky left Brooklyn and he migrated his way toward his second home.

He unpacked his things in the barracks. S.H.I.E.L.D. provided some shelter for anyone that needed a place to crash. The not-so-winter-soldier thought about Donna as he unpacked, and the reality of her leaving started building up.

Bucky really liked her, and he started feeling a void settle back in his head. He tried to do as she suggested, and “figure out” why Steve Rogers was such an ideal person for him. 

Bucky always looked up to him and respected him. It felt like Steve had a natural ability to keep him going on the right path, and Bucky liked that. What he felt did amount to love, but ..

He started thinking that it all came out wrong when he explained what happened. The soldier got himself all confused, and twisted around with his thoughts. 

He stopped unpacking, and just pushed the rest of his stuff underneath the small bed. Bucky stood up and he left. He got the hell out of that quiet room, and started heading toward the upcoming meeting.

Those sort of things always took place in the main building, but the energy around him felt a little busier. Bucky noticed more people walking about, so he started looking around.

He was looking East, and he barely heard someone mention his day off. Nick Fury decided to comment on Bucky actually going into work. He had a set schedule, but that schedule was no longer relevant.

He wasn’t with Donna anymore, so he didn’t need to take any time off. Bucky finally registered Fury’s voice, so he snapped his focus toward his superior. Fury asked him why he decided to come in.

His question was asked out of concern, but Fury’s body language said otherwise. The man was a smooth talker, while Bucky was indifferent.

“My availability has changed. I can be here full time again.”

People were gathering, and Bucky watched a few of them walk into the large room. It seemed like there were a whole lot more people there, and he was about to ask about it.

Fury kept staring at Bucky. Several plans started forming in his head, but he kept his response to himself for the moment. The current director of S.H.I.E.L.D. knew about Bucky’s relationship with Donna Strange.

That connection was considered a mild risk, because she was related to Stephen. They kept tabs every now and then just to make sure Bucky and Stephen were on good terms.

They didn’t want a war breaking out between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Sorcerer Supreme. That was against their interest.

“I already have something lined up for you. It just hit me.”

Fury gave Bucky’s shoulder a little nudge and he walked straight into the room. He formed a strategy for Bucky immediately because he didn’t want him sinking into any sort of dark place. 

Fury knew a person that could keep Bucky busy. He planned to put that soldier to work and help him get over whatever seemed to be going on. 

Bucky was unaware of Fury’s grand plan. He just walked into the room and looked out at all the personnel and field agents. It was obviously going to be a huge vote, so Bucky started thinking that Steve needed to be there.

The thought he had took on some additional weight as he glanced toward the front of the room. The soldier saw Phil Coulson, and a person that was supposed to be locked up in prison.

The “White Jackal” was standing up and he was wearing a thin white suit. Hoooollyyy shit. Bucky knew that Steve was going to be pissed. Obviously, the Jackal was the reason why Steve wasn’t called in.

Bucky started putting all of that together as he stared at that white suit. The Jackal forged his suit to look like an obscure chess piece. It looked brand new... and cool, so Bucky started getting very confused.

He watched Nick Fury take his place up at the podium, and something else happened that caused even more confusion.

Bucky had to blink a few times, because someone walked right up to Fury. She put her hand on the microphone and said something discretely to the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

That confusion sank in deep, because Bucky had been attacked and blinded by the petite woman that took her place beside Fury. 

He knew her name, but he had no idea why that red head was there. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	9. We Run LA (Part 4)

Chapter Nine: We Run LA (Part 4)

* * *

Stephen was still pretty fascinated with that musical journey that Tony had put together.

In total his show had seven songs. Stephen was currently listening to the last one, and he was deeply submerged in that moment.

Tony was very clever. He recorded and manipulated things that had been said to him, and he weaved together a tapestry of everything that he had on his mind.

Stephen even heard his own voice during the second song, and it blew him away. He heard two other people make an auditory appearance toward the end, but they were dimensions away.

The older Tony and Steve were part of it as well, and it fascinated Stephen. The only “manipulation” he felt seemed to come directly from Tony’s personality.

His presence was enticing. The sorcerer began to realize how hard it must have been for Steve to watch that show.

He glanced over at the blonde a few times. The fifth song was clearly for Steve, but the content of the song was very emotional. Tony truly loved that fairytale prince.   
  
His devotion to Steve Rogers was something that Stephen eventually grew to accept. He struggled with technically losing to him for a long time.  


Stephen stopped analyzing the music  after that point, until he reached the very last song. That song was Tony’s grand finale, but it was instrumental for a long time.

When it ended, Stephen finally started feeling something different. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but the sounds he heard after started producing some imagery in his head.

He wondered if it was actually in his head, or out there with the rest of the people. Either way, he listened to Tony mention something again about the tiger striped cat.

He said that the cat met his end for the Starchild, and in that moment Stephen’s body stopped stiff. 

Say what? The line was out of context. It didn’t jive with ..

The sorcerer began to wonder if he even really heard it. He felt compelled to touch Tony’s forehead, and understand what was driving out the current words.

He started thinking it was the Mind Stone talking. Talking to who? Him? The Starchild thing had him really freaked out. 

He put a stop to all the noise, and floated over toward Tony. Stephen gently brought his hands up to his face, and he almost touched Tony’s skin.

A voice told him to stop, and Stephen knew exactly who it was. There was only one person out there stopping him from looking into the Mind Stone, so Stephen gave out a gentle sigh.

“If you keep digging, I’m going to have to stop you.”

The older Tony was very happy to turn the tables on any Stephen Strange. He was finally in a higher cosmic jurisdiction, so that meant a Baby Douchebag Wizard Pizza Supreme had to do anything that he said.

“I’m not going to be nice about it either. Consider this to be to your last warning.”

Stephen couldn’t even see him. The older Tony was not physically in the room with him, but Stephen could feel his presence all around. The sorcerer gave a small smirk and he looked behind his own shoulder.

The voice was behind him, so he directed his focus in that direction.

“What did he mean by the Starchild?”

Stephen was puzzled. He thought he saw a glimpse of, something. It was faint, but he couldn’t get it out of his mind. The older Tony absolutely refused to give him any sort of clue.

Those babies were a long way away from interacting with any sort of Starchild. Hell no.

“...I think he’s referring to all of those squishy beautiful children out there. The Starchild might be a broad blanket, covering them all with his warmth and love.”

Big Tony made something up on the spot, and Stephen arched an eyebrow. He didn’t buy that lie at all so he laughed a little and turned again.

“He said that the cat met his end for the Starchild. The cat is Hoggoth, right?”

He kept thinking that all of the music was telling the story of a Vishanti entity. Tony and Hoggoth shared the same flesh, so it seemed like it all fit.

The expert on the subject was the version of Tony that Stephen could not see. He looked around for him, but all he got was his voice.

“The cat? We are one and the same. Stop digging. No more warnings.”

He let that one slide, because he thought Baby Stephen was cute. He watched him ponder the universe for a little while longer, but then his voice and presence was gone.

Stephen knew that he was alone, so he looked back at the younger Tony. Everything he heard was making Stephen’s head spin, so he completely disengaged himself from the scene.

It all disappeared around him, and he started staring at the walls of the meditation room. The sorcerer felt a little overwhelmed, so he drew in a few slow breaths.

He left the room and headed back toward his loft. Stephen started thinking that the Tony in his dimension could see his own end, and it was somehow connected to something called the Starchild.

The Starchild could be anything. The name of a ship, a person, or some bullshit blanket. He tried to let it go as he walked in the room.

His thoughts about Tony’s mess dropped immediately, because his lovely sister was there with the others.

Donna said hello to him, and she asked him how he was. Stephen glanced over at the other two people in the room, and he said that he was doing pretty good.

He was currently confused, but good.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	10. We Run LA (Part 5)

Chapter Ten: We Run LA (Part 5)

* * *

Steve was sitting out on the back balcony. They had a comfortable little set up on the floor, because Tony thought patio chairs were ugly. He couldn’t find the right ones, and Steve didn’t even know what a “patio” was.

He liked the set up on the balcony floor so he kept looking out at the ocean. Steve continued to contemplate what Tony said. The blonde really didn’t know what was going on between Bucky and Tony, but the tension was thick.

Bucky did lie about his feelings for him, but he said he was only attracted to women. Was that another lie now? Steve didn’t know.

He thought that they would get along at some point, but the bad blood between them never fizzled out.

Steve was pretty stressed about it, but he decided to just let them work it out on their own.

Work it out, or kill each other? The plan started sounding a little stupid. Steve rubbed his forehead, and he sighed against the California wind.

That sliding glass door opened and closed. Steve sat up quickly because those thoughts were making him slouch. Tony walked further out on the balcony and he looked down at that gorgeous blonde.

Steve was chillin, and Tony sat down beside him. He put on some fancy beach attire, and decided to join Steve out on the mat. Tony accessorized his look of course with some flashy sunglasses.

His shades were pricy and slick. Tony took his spot beside Steve and he looked out at that roaring ocean. They didn’t say anything to one another, because they both were feeling the situation out.

Had the unruly brunette actually cooled off? Steve tried not to grin about it. His grin started forming, so he looked off in another direction.

Ahhhhhhh it kept growing. Steve covered his mouth for a sec and he decided to move a little closer to Tony. Steve kinda placed his arm around his back and he leaned against him a little bit.

.....Steve was very brave.

Tony thought that as he glanced down at the hand that was securing itself against his side. Hmmmmmmm.... Tony kept looking at it, and then he turned his attention toward the source.

That BLONDIE was trying to act all cute, and not die on the balcony. Tony kept quiet and he looked up at their large parasol. It moved a bit with the wind, and it kept the sun from burning their flesh off.

That hand moved again, and Tony felt someone trying to move on in. Steve liked to snuggle and nuzzle his way through any disagreement between them.

HAH. Tony debated whether or not that would work. He let that hand roam around, and he even turned his body a little toward Steve.

You see, turning toward Steve gave him the false impression that things were cool. Tony did that on purpose, because he knew that it would encourage Steve’s behavior.

The golden boy started moving one of his legs underneath Tony’s, he wanted to get them all wound up and close. He actually wanted Tony on top of him, but that was just wishful thinking.

Steve slowed down his advance, and he just turned his focus toward Tony’s shoulder. He was only wearing black swim shorts. They had a red stripe down the sides, and Steve wanted to remove them. He refrained.

Steve gently kissed that warm shoulder twice, and his hand moved again. He needed Tony to loosen up, and move on from whatever got him all upset.

Steve didn’t know what the hell happened. It wasn’t his fault, so why did he have to suffer?

The soldier almost laughed at his own thought. To stop the laugh, he decided to turn his body and hide himself against that neck.

Tony bit his bottom lip, because that golden boy really made his move. He started kissing Tony’s neck, and that powerful hand almost moved him over onto his lap.

Tony gripped his other arm and he gasped. They weren’t.....

..... he wasn’t supposed to actually get seduced by that Boy Scout. Tony held the thought as he allowed the attention toward his body to continue.

It started feeling good, and Tony’s eyes slipped closed. Steve’s advance seemed to relax him, like magic. Tony felt those lips meet his own and he just sank into it. The brunette was moved in further, and he didn’t even notice.

Steve wanted Tony on top of him, and he made it happen. He moved his smaller frame up and over with one quick gesture.

Tony returned his kiss, and it made Steve smile beneath him. He could tell that Tony was really giving into what he wanted, because that body seemed very relaxed. He had to touch him all over, and keep Tony in that easy-going state.

Attention like that from Steve stimulated Tony in ways that he was barely aware of. He normally got a fix like that from some bullshit drug, but meeting Steve Rogers sobered him up.

Now, he was the drug... in a sense, so any physical pleasure from him made Tony delirious. It felt like he popped a raver up on that balcony, and the affects were immediate.

They started slipping into some heavy kissing, and Steve became very surprised. He didn’t expect Tony to actually react like that. It felt like they were in their bedroom, and not out in the open.

Steve thought about moving them inside. He looked out at the beach because other people liked to wander around. Their section of the beach was private, but occasionally a family would randomly show up.

Tony didn’t think about any of that. He started taking over. The brunette was immersed in the moment, so Steve’s hesitation went unnoticed. Tony wanted to feel certain things, and do certain things, so he got very lost on top of that body.

He heard Steve say something about going inside. His voice was quiet, but it broke through. Tony pulled back with a gasp, and he quickly opened his eyes.

He woke up to where he was. Tony finally realized what he was doing. He looked down at his own body. Tony was sprawled all over Steve and a rush of warmth hit his face.

Whoa. He gave in quick. Tony was shocked with himself, and unsure what to do. Steve just studied Tony’s behavior. It seemed like he just snapped out of some zone.

That warmth left his lap. Steve sat up a bit straighter and he asked Tony if he was ok.

“I’m.. I’m ok. Just..”

Freaked out. Tony didn’t realize where he went. He couldn’t even find his sunglasses, so he started questioning his own behavior. Tony planned to not give in at all, because he wanted Steve to understand what Bucky did.

He wanted him to see what Bucky always did, because it felt like some kind of manipulation. Tony didn’t want to fall into Steve’s behavior and get all crazy on his lap.

Whoa. Tony had to go. He puzzled over himself for a sec, and he turned toward the beach. That brunette needed to cool off in the water, and avoid Steve as much as he possibly could.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	11. Born On Fire (Part 1)

Chapter Eleven:Born On Fire (Part 1)

* * *

The White Jackal kept looking at all the people in the room. He had become a bit of a spectacle up in the front, but he thought nothing of it.

He didn’t see Steve Rogers anywhere. The Jackal wanted to hear his opinion on his attempt to become a field agent. The entire organization opened up a discussion on the matter, and the decision was up to a vote.

Charles Xavier was present on a giant screen. He explained that he took over the Jackal’s recuperation, and that he should be able to live amongst them.

“The information and experience that the Jackal has to give will be saving lives. There is no objection on our end here in Westchester.”

The professor spoke up for the White Jackal. He also assured the crowd that he would be monitoring his behavior personally, and suggested that S.H.I.E.L.D. did it’s own form of surveillance.

The Jackal kept quiet beneath his suit, and he glanced over at the loudest voice in the room. Nick Fury took in what was said, and he addressed his agents and personnel.

“Xavier obviously votes in the Jackal’s favor, so let’s begin.”

He opened the floor up for questions and the opportunity to vote on the subject. Bucky watched from the right side of the room. He was indifferent about the Jackal joining their team, and more curious about the red head that was suddenly working beside Nick Fury.

He thought that she worked for H.Y.D.R.A. and she was also suspected to have a connection with the other version of himself. The “Black Widow” knew the Winter Soldier, and apparently they went way back.

“Bucky Barnes, how do you vote in this?”

Fury was going through his agents in an alphabetical order. Bucky was at the top of the list, and he finally focused.

The not-so-winter-soldier looked across the room, and he stared at that pearl white suit. He knew that the person inside it was Ezekiel Stane.

His father’s name was Obidiah and that man was responsible for taking Tony Stark. Bucky wasn’t aware of the damage that was done between Obidiah and Tony, but he knew that Steve was gonna be pissed.

But, as for a vote? Bucky had to give it some additional thought.

“It’s yes or no Bucky, do you want us to come back to you?”

Fury just wanted the numbers. He wasn’t interested in ego battles or bad blood. The Jackal had intel that they needed and he had the support from Charles Xavier. In Fury’s opinion, the Jackal was already part of S.H.I.E.L.D.

He wanted them all to get to work. Bucky didn’t respond to Fury at all. He decided to ask the Jackal a question, and then place his vote.

“Why did you specifically attack Tony Stark when we were at the H.Y.D.R.A. base?”

He wanted to know if there was still a threat for Steve’s unruly brunette. The Jackal was surprised to receive a question, but he turned in Bucky’s direction.

“I attacked him to study his suit. I didn’t plan to hurt him.”

The Jackal wouldn’t do that. He originally wanted to infiltrate Tony’s mind and figure out all his secrets. Doing that was impossible, so the Jackal had to touch the suit.

“Are you going to continue doing that, because that’s going to be a problem.”

Bucky wasn’t going to vote for something that was going to put Steve’s lover in danger. It didn’t matter if he was a total pain in the ass. The Jackal considered the comment and question, and then he looked over at Nick Fury.

“I will always want to know how Tony Stark puts together his tech. I plan on asking him about it, but that is all.”

His fascination with that didn’t go anywhere, but the Jackal developed a sense of control. Bucky studied the suit, but he wished that he could actually see his face.

The Jackal’s identity had the highest level of confidentiality, so Bucky knew that wasn’t going to happen. His gut gave him his vote, and he could tell that Fury was getting impatient.

“I vote yes, and I will also put in a vote on behalf of Steve Rogers.”

Voting for Steve was an acceptable thing. Fury heard him and he told the room that he would acknowledge Steve’s vote.

Bucky took in a solid breath and he asked himself what Steve would do. Captain America would want to give a person a second chance. He’d want the Jackal to prove wrong any doubt, and be part of a team.

But, Steve Rogers? Plus the situation that he had going on with the Jackal?

Steve would want to have a conversation with the Jackal first. He’d want to know everything before any big decisions were made. Bucky considered everything that his friend could have possibly felt, and he decided to give Steve his vote.

“Steve Rogers would vote NO, and tell you all to go to hell.”

Bucky didn’t smile and he looked down at the floor. He actually felt a little disappointed, but Fury just calculated the vote.

Bucky kept staring as the rest of the vote resumed. He heard a variation of votes that were in the Jackal’s favor, and some that weren’t.

Natasha Romanoff had a gentle voice. Bucky glanced up at that red head as she read the results out loud.

The Jackal had a majority of votes in his favor, so Steve Rogers had a brand new recruit on the team. Bucky looked around the room, and he completely tuned out the rest of the meeting. 

Fury seemed happy with the result. The S.H.I.E.L.D. director thanked everyone, and told any inactive field agents that they were dismissed.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	12. Born On Fire (Part 2)

Chapter Twelve: Born On Fire (Part 2)

* * *

Steve was holding onto Tony’s fancy sunglasses. He looked down at them and he moved them around in his hand. That fiery brunette took off on him, and Steve needed a minute. 

He sighed gently and leaned back against the large cushion behind him. Steve looked up at the beautiful blue sky, and opinions started forming. There weren’t any looming buildings, or busy advertisements anywhere in sight. 

He wanted to tell Tony something about that, but the golden boy decided to wait it out. He took his minute to think and stood up slowly. 

Steve could see Tony out by the water. He made a decision about the situation, and he headed into the house.

The blonde set the sunglasses on the kitchen counter and he went for the bedroom. Steve pulled out an outfit from the closet and he set it on the bed.

He planned to head into work and finally speak to Bucky. Steve wasn’t sure what he was in for, but if Bucky was lying yet again, then Steve was prepared to tell him that they couldn’t be friends anymore.

Steve moved on from what happened between them, and he felt happy with Tony. Bucky had a bad habit of pushing buttons, and Steve had a feeling that he really crossed a line.

The reality of that was sinking in, but Steve pressed on. He removed his shorts and turned on the shower. The soldier had a bit of thinking to do before he randomly showed up at work.

He took his time, and got himself ready.

~~~—-~~~  
  


In that same moment, Bucky was being briefed on what Fury intended to do with the new recruit. The Jackal was going to go through a series of drills for two weeks, and then he’d be right out there on the field like the rest of them.

Fury was actually hoping that Steve Rogers would train him. Uhh, yeah right. Bucky almost laughed at the notion, but he kept his thoughts on that to himself. 

He glanced to the right hand side of Nick Fury again, and guess who he saw?

The red head that almost blew Bucky’s face off seemed very comfortable beside Fury, and the soldier thought it was odd.

He almost asked about it, but they started migrating the damn Jackal to another location. Bucky remained where he was, until he was directly approached.

Natasha and Fury walked up to him. Bucky took a few slow steps, and he relaxed his shoulders.

“Natasha Romanoff, this is the non-winterized James Buchanan Barnes. This one usually goes by Bucky.”

Fury wasn’t sure if the Winter Soldier still used his nickname. That version of Bucky was still going through a recuperation. He wasn’t really part of this story, so Natasha gently extended out her hand.

“I’ll call you Bucky, if you want.”

The not-so-winter-soldier stared down at the gesture. He thought about his name for just a moment, and then his mind immediately went to Donna Strange.

She was the only person that called him James, and the thought of being called by his real name again didn’t feel right.

“Bucky works.”

He took her hand and their quick greeting concluded. It was time for business, so they dropped all the pleasantries. Bucky didn’t trust her anyway. Trusting her was a stupid idea.

“I hear you are the expert on the Winter Soldier.”

“I suppose so. I’ve dealt with him enough times to know a thing or two.”

She even had the pleasure of being shot by the other Bucky, twice. Natasha had a dry tone to her voice as she answered him, but she was mainly focused on something that Fury gave her.

Bucky wanted to mention that he was nothing like his other self. He watched her look through a few documents, as Fury told them that they had their orders.

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. walked away from them, and he mentioned that they both had somewhere else to be. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	13. Born On Fire (Part 3)

Chapter Thirteen: Born On Fire (Part 3)

* * *

Steve placed his hand on a biometric console that opened the door to S.H.I.E.L.D. It read the palm of his hand and his finger prints. Another element of the security system scanned his eyes, and asked him to say a code word.

“Bangarang.”

Steve’s code word was processed and the door unlocked. He walked into a building that was technically his third home. 

The soldier didn’t ponder that for too long. He kept on walking and started looking up at the activity wall. That wall provided information for any agent or personnel that needed to know where to report.

He scanned around for the last name Barnes, but he wasn’t seeing it anywhere. Steve stepped closer and he began the search sequence. He manually typed in Barnes and waited to see if he checked into any room.

What he was doing was common. S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel searched for one another all the time to make sure they were all going in the right direction. If the agenda for the day had a higher classification, then the information would not be available.

He read that Bucky checked into the main room, but checked out after a few hours. His next step was marked with a * symbol.

Steve only saw ********** symbols in the place of whatever room he was in. That reading sparked a curiosity in Steve, so he closed the screen. Bucky was doing something that the average agent couldn’t see.

Steve swallowed and he decided to continue digging. He glanced down at his waist, and he pulled up the clearance card that was attached to his belt.

Steve decided to shift the weight of his higher rank, and see what his friend was doing.

He tried that search again, but under his other credential. Captain America officially logged into the system and he started carving his way to Bucky’s location.

He heard the AI welcome him. He was referred to as “Captain” and his overall treatment on the screen always felt different.

The symbols that covered Bucky’s location disappeared, and he discovered that Bucky was in the Blue Room with Natasha Romanoff. He pressed the image of the room and read that they were in there with one other person.

Instead of pressing further, Steve closed out of the screens, and he stepped away from the activity board. Logging in as Captain America went further than a simple search.

When Steve logged in as him, he also logged in subconsciously. He wasn’t really aware of it, but “Cap” was actually a completely different person.

But, they were the same. Their ideals always harmonized, and their overall logic. That’s probably why Steve was oblivious to it, so he just headed for the Blue Room.

Natasha and Bucky were told to team up. They were ordered to put the White Jackal through his physical training.

He was in his white suit, and trying to dodge the two of them. Ezekiel Stane was not trained for combat. He had an intellect that could dance with Tony, but his social skills and concept for battle didn’t exist.

He was trained to fight dirty, and use his brain to win at chess. That is why Ezekiel was an expert at bio-weaponry and other forms of upgrade.

Nick Fury was very adamant about having him as a field agent. His training had the highest priority, and also the highest level of security.

Fury allowed Steve to access the information, because he needed him to join in. He actually watched him locate Bucky. Fury was in his office, and he was given an alert about Captain America logging in.

The boss was in the house, and Nick Fury watched Steve walk into the Blue Room. The director dropped every other screen, and he gave the Jackal situation his full attention.

The room was originally dark as Bucky and Natasha trained Ezekiel.

The lights in the room altered immediately when the door was opened. Steve waltzed right in, and he looked directly at the three people that were technically exposed.

Bucky stopped short. He was about to kick that Jackal in the face, but the lights turned on. Everything stopped abruptly, and everyone in the room looked at Steve.

Natasha was perched in the distance. She stood up slowly and she wondered why their training was interrupted.

Ezekiel brought his arms down toward his waist. He could see Bucky heading straight for him, but the lights put a stop to the assault.

Steve blinked three times and told himself that he was hallucinating.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	14. Born On Fire (Part 4)

Chapter Fourteen: Born On Fire (Part 4)

* * *

Steve only said one thing to Tony before he left. The brunette wandered back to the house, because he got lonely over by the beach.

He didn’t want to hop back on that lap, but Steve’s sexy work outfit made the thought cross his mind.

Ultimately, Tony just wanted Steve to read his mind and GET IT. They learned telepathy thanks to the Mystic Arts, so......

Figure it out Steve. Tony didn’t have the patience to rehash and think about Bucky’s bullshit. He heard Steve mention that he “would be back later”, then that was that.

Gone. Steve vanished, and Tony sulked.

The brunette contemplated the mess he was in for approximately ten more seconds, and then he was immediately calling his people and asking them to come over.

He hated being alone in a huge house. Being in the Brooklyn apartment was ok because the furniture was close and Steve’s presence was all around him, but the new house was still... new.

Tony thought he heard a noise, so he glanced toward the left side of the house.

UHh, he called Pepper Potts and told her to bring him some booze immediately. She told him that he was ridiculous, and it made Tony smile.

“You’ll be getting paid for it. You’re still on the clock, aren’t you?”

He imagined her holding a bunch of bullshit paperwork. The young woman said that she was just wrapping up a meeting with their government liaison.

Lieutenant “Rhodey” Rhodes was going over inventory with Pepper, and he was supposed to be going over that information with Tony.

Tony heard who she was speaking to, and he immediately hopped out of his funk. Tony literally hopped.

“OH COOL!I like him. Bring him with you. Happy will be parked out front with the booze.”

Tony’s smile was very wide as he abruptly ended the call. He immediately got a message out to Happy Hogan. His “bodyguard” was instructed to escort Pepper and Rhodey out to his shiny new house.

OH HOW FUN. Tony playfully looked down at his beach attire, and then he noticed that his sunglasses were on the counter. Tony’s mind immediately pulled in Steve’s direction for a split, so he started gnawing on his bottom lip.

Tony was kinda in the mood to party, and he wondered what that golden thing might think.

“Meh. He’ll be cool with it.”

Tony brushed off the negative vibes that he was giving himself and he rushed further into the kitchen. Tony made a mental note that he needed to change his clothes.

He dug around the current alcohol supply, and realized that they were a very sober couple. Tony had completely sobered up after he met Steve.

The only “partying” they did took place in night clubs, and those were sexy hookups. They couldn’t even legally drink when they started dating, so...

Hmmm, interesting. Tony moved on from his random thoughts as he hurried toward his giant closet. He hunted around for something cool to wear as he waited for his beautiful new friends.

Tony felt so happy, and completely over Bucky’s jealous BULLSHIT.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	15. Born On Fire (Part 5)

Chapter Fifteen: Born On Fire (Part 5)

* * *

Perfect. Juuuussstt perrrrrffffect.

Bucky kept his eyes locked on Steve. The soldier looked like he was ready to break something in half.

Natasha migrated down from her vantage point, and she gripped the two batons that she had in her hands.

“We are in the middle of a training exercise. Did you need something Steve?”

Natasha was aware that Steve Rogers had an issue with the White Jackal. Unfortunately for him, that was not her problem. The Black Widow was only focused on the main game.

Steve did not look in her direction at all. He saw Ezekiel Stane wearing some brand new technology instead of an ugly green jumpsuit.

“Training?”

Steve finally spoke. His voice was pretty stern. Bucky eased up a little where he stood, and tried to lighten the mood.

“He was the vote. I did tell them that you put in a hard no.”

Bucky raised his shoulders a little. The situation was out of his control, and he was just following orders. He watched his friend as he maintained the same expression.

Steve looked PISSED. Bucky called that one right off the bat. He glanced over at the only person thatremained quiet.

Ezekiel was studying Steve. The interior of his suit was not built like Tony’s at all. He could read vitals and store outside content, but the Jackal hadn’t been able to attach an internal database.

He was still working on the suit while he temporarily lived with the X-Men. He wasn’t sure how to proceed.

Luckily, Natasha kept things on some sort of track. She breezed toward Steve, and took a step in front of his path to Ezekiel.

“Fury hoped that you would train him. Have you spoken to him about that?”

She had to ask. Her gut was telling the Widow that she was going to have to protect the White Jackal from Steve. She took a moment to look over at Bucky.

He voted yes for the new recruit, but she wasn’t sure if he would go against his best friend. Natasha reviewed the thought for a moment, but then her focus went to Steve again.

“Train him, for what?”

Why the hell would he train him? That was the question of the day. Steve was so upset with what he walked into, it took more effort for him to breathe.

He was locked onto a target, and calculating his next move.

“Steve, Fury is an asshole for not telling you, but he said that this is not about you or anyone else. Charles Xavier is actually the person that put this all together.”

Bucky tried to give him the facts. Steve worked better with those, and he tried to carve the anger out of the situation. Steve was still processing, and it seemed like he was going to attack. Hearing that information actually made the soldier ten times angrier.

Steve drew in a slow breath, and he finally turned his attention to Natasha.

Bucky took another look at Agent Romanoff. She strengthened her stance and gave Steve a playful smile. She seemed at ease, yet very prepared to protect Ezekiel. Bucky wasn’t expecting that.

Whoa. Bucky tried to focus on his friend, because Steve’s voice filled the room.

“Do you want me to train you?”

His voice carried over to the White Jackal, and they all saw the mouth move on that suit. He didn’t expect to be asked a question. Ezekiel looked at everyone in the room, and then he stepped forward.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Steve had come to three separate conclusions. One: He was done with Nick Fury. Two: His conversation with Bucky was going to be harder than he thought.

Three...

“I’m not sure. It just feels like, I know you.”

Ezekiel didn’t know anyone besides the people he watched on a screen. Xavier told him that he needed to find his sense of place, and he knew that Steve was a good person. He was honest, and he wanted to emulate him.

Copycat, that’s what he was.

Ezekiel thought about Tony’s comment, and he started looking more toward the floor. Steve listened to that answer, and he decided to rest with his third conclusion.

“I will train you today. You two can leave.”

He looked at Bucky and then at Natasha. Steve was not in the mood for them. He didn’t even wait for them to respond.

He started rolling up his perfectly pressed shirt sleeves, and he walked around Natasha.

Bucky had to blink. He was very confused with Steve’s behavior. Leave? Leave where? Bucky didn’t want to dance on that thin ice any longer, so he glanced over at Natasha.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	16. COPYCAT (Part 1)

Chapter Sixteen: COPYCAT (Part 1)

* * *

Ezekiel was slammed against the wall of the training room and his suit started cracking open. It was separating like a fragile egg shell, and Steve could see pieces of it hit the floor.

He was clearly uncomfortable in his own skin. Ezekiel wasn’t quick on his feet, and it seemed like he barely knew how to move.

Steve related to that, in a sense, so he put a stop to his assault.

One of his shirt sleeves was bothering him, so he rolled it up for the third or fourth time. He glanced up at the White Jackal as he tried to pry himself off the wall.

His suit started feeling heavy for him. It barely weighed anything, but the gravity of his situation was causing him to sink downward.

Steve walked toward him and he heard Ezekiel gasp. He seemed afraid, but Steve slowly extended out his hand.

They were NOT on good terms.... Steve didn’t want his gesture to confuse anyone that was tuning in. He just already understood the concept that Ezekiel’s training was beyond him.

The White Jackal had direct ties to the black markets distribution of guns, drugs, and human beings so..... Steve Rogers could put his anger aside for the sake of others.

He helped him up off that wall and watched more of his suit fall from his body.

“That’s it for today. I’ll let you fix your suit. Contact me when you are ready again.”

He released Ezekiel’s hand and he looked up at the corner of the room. Steve had a bone to pick with the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. It was time for him to leave.

“Would I be able to contact Tony? I have..”

“I’m debating that.”

Steve shut down the rest of that request. Tony was unaware that his “copycat” was out of prison, and Steve wanted to keep it that way. He made his way out of the training room, just as Phil Coulson walked in.

Steve assumed he was there to escort Ezekiel somewhere else. That meant Fury was watching, so Steve began his journey to him.

He walked by the common area, and completely missed the fact that Bucky and Natasha were in there. They were sitting at a table, eating some food.

S.H.I.E.L.D. spared no expense on the food selection, so Bucky and Steve hit up the food court often. Now, Bucky was sitting across from Natasha and they were processing how they got dismissed.

“He probably looked at him and cried with his little Bambi eyes, so now Steve is all pissed off at me.”

Bucky was venting, because Tony Stark annoyed him. Natasha laughed at his stress a little, because Tony did have some pretty eyes. He could remind a person of a delicate fawn, or a feral cat.

Take your pick. Natasha maintained her smile, then she glanced up at Bucky.

“Wow, bitter much? He’s mad because you did something. That is obvious.”

Natasha really didn’t want to be involved, but she was making mental notes about Steve being with Tony. She suspected it, but now it was confirmed.

She started scooping out the remnants of her yogurt, while Bucky sighed and looked up at the giant light.

“He’s mad at me because I am a liar. Everyone gets mad or leaves when a person is a liar.”

Duh. Bucky kept staring upward and he sulked. Natasha swallowed down her yogurt, and she slowly set the cup on the table.

Bucky was wearing a dark blue shirt, with a light brown jacket. Natasha just stared at his clothes for a moment, then she decided to respond to what he said.

“I’m a liar. I lie everyday.”

Her shoulders pulled up in a shrug, and her left eyebrow arched upward. She moved on for her own point and glanced over at the clock on the wall. Bucky unfroze from his pity-party for a moment and he returned his attention to the person in front of him.

...say what now? What he heard almost gave him a mild stroke.

Bucky brought his complete focus toward that red head and he forced himself to blink a few times. She returned his behavior, and stared at his face.

“Lying is a beautiful necessity because it gets shit done..”

She smiled at the not-so-winter-soldier, then checked the time again. Natasha was supposed to meet someone right there at that table, but her rendezvous was thirty seconds late.

Bucky seriously thought his heart was gonna stop. He internally died with joy because it felt like he was finally understood.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	17. COPYCAT (Part 2)

Chapter Seventeen: COPYCAT (Part 2)

* * *

“Last night I had the strangest dreeeeaam...”

....

...

“I sailed away to China..”

..

“In a little row boat to find ya..”

...

“And you said you had to get your laundry cleannned...”  
  


...

“Didn't want no one to hold you..”

....

“What does that meeeeaaan?”

...

“And you said..”

...

Stephen Strange couldn’t stop the quiet laugh that burst out of his mouth. He brought his hand up to his face, but a few people looked over at him.

He was invited to Tony’s little party by the beach, so naturally he brought along his people.

Donna was busy packing her belongings, but Clea and Victor joined him. Now, they were all packed in Tony’s giant living room and listening to a bunch of noise.

He had some music concoction all set up, and he was singing a horrible song that was older than dirt. Stephen thought that it was hilarious, and he watched Victor follow Tony’s lead.

Those two were acting like giddy idiots. Stephen blamed the tequila. He glanced over at the other three guests. They seemed pretty amused, and possibly drunk.

“You said that your name was... Pepper?”

“Yes, Pepper Potts.”

Interesting. Stephen tried not to let his sarcasm take over. Pepper Potts seemed lovely, so he looked over at the second person.

“And you’re name is... Happy?”

“Yeah. Happy Hogan.”

...Also interesting. Stephen forced his smile to soften, and he glanced at his wife. Clea was holding onto a small glass of tequila. She did not enjoy it at all, and she wasn’t sure where to put it.

Stephen almost took it from her, but he decided to recall the name of the third person. They all seemed very comfortable with Tony’s charm, and Stephen was glad that he had some people he could trust.

“And, Rhodey ... Rhodes?”

“Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, to be exact.”

Oh wow. Stephen felt both of his eyebrows raise up on that one. The lieutenant even fixed the front of his uniform after he confirmed his flashy title.

Stephen just smiled, then he borrowed that glass from Clea. It felt odd for him to “mingle”. Stephen really wasn’t the type.

He turned his focus toward the host of the party. Stephen drank the clear poison that Clea avoided, and then he set the glass on the table.

Tony and Victor were still singing the silly song. It said something about a person not breaking someone’s stride.

It was a very catchy tune, so Stephen was amused.Also, he could see how happy his little brother looked as he jumped around.

Everything was blissful in the living room, until the song ended. Tony stepped over a few things that he had about, and he directed his attention toward the machine.

The man named Happy asked Tony a question about chips. The Sorcerer Supreme was somewhat focused, but his mind was currently centered on something else.

Tony put on another song, and he answered the question about the chips.

“Pepper, you wanna sing? And we only have mild, Happy. I ate all the hot, and my blondie is a wimp.”

Tony was referring to salsa. Chips. Salsa. You get it? Stephen Strange heard something completely different. He was somewhat focused in that moment, but he clearly heard Tony say something else.

Tony said something about their little Starchild. Stephen knew what he heard, and he sat up on that couch.

“What did you just say?”

Hold up. Stephen’s voice kinda crashed into Tony’s zone. The brunette felt attacked, so he sucked in a quick breath. Tony stared at Stephen while he held the mic out for Pepper.

Uh, what? Tony became confused. He was drunk, and Stephen looked super serious. Whoa wiz.

“I uh... I asked Pep if she wanted to sing? And..”

What else? Tony couldn’t remember. He almost started laughing because Stephen was way too serious for him in that moment.

“No. You said..”

Stephen looked over at Clea. He wondered if she heard it as well. She was sitting beside him, and quietly returned the attention.

Stephen swallowed down all his thoughts. He blamed the liquor, or the Mind Stone. The sorcerer started thinking that it was messing with his head.

Tony referring to “their” Starchild freaked him out. He heard Tony say it, but was it the Tony in front of him? Stephen remembered what he heard again, and said that he needed some air.

The house felt packed.

He stood up quickly and said that he’d be out back. They all were given a tour of the house, so he knew where the balcony was.

Stephen just left, and Tony’s jaw almost hit the floor. What the....

He tried to follow after him, but guess who walked in front of Tony and said that she had it handled? The Tinkerbell Princess, that’s who. Tony watched Stephen’s pretty wifey follow on after him. 

She opened the sliding glass door, and she gently picked up one of his hands. Stephen started talking to her pretty quickly, because he needed to know if he was still sane.

Tony didn’t know what all of that was about. He quickly assumed it was just wizard business, so he resumed what he was doing on his karaoke machine.

Pepper took her turn on the mic, and Tony kept looking over toward that damn balcony. He was SO gonna talk to him at some friggen point in the evening, and kick that bossy pixie to the curb.

I mean, what the fuck?

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	18. COPYCAT (Part 3)

Chapter Eighteen: COPYCAT (Part 3)

* * *

“You’re late.”

“Well, I was napping.”

Bucky kept staring at the person that finally walked up to the table. He was supposed to meet Natasha there and he gave out a gigantic yawn.

Clint Barton dragged himself out of bed. Bucky only saw him in passing, but now he was seeing him face to face. Natasha was giving him shit because they had a mini mission that was supposed to begin.

It was pretty late. Bucky looked over at the clock on the wall, but then he heard that Barton fellow make another loud sound.

He finally looked at Bucky, and his immediate reaction was to gasp and protect himself.

He quickly asked, “which one is it?” and Bucky immediately arched a brow. Apparently, the bow and arrow guy was afraid of the Winter Soldier.

Bucky thought about laughing, but Natasha stood up, and her response kinda shut up his thoughts.

“Calm down, jackass. This one might not kill you.”

Oh, so he was the good one. Clint seemed relieved and Bucky started looking at the both of them. He briefly wondered where they were going.

“He’s very sweet.”

Sweet? Bucky didn’t consider himself to be a sweet person, so he shrugged. Natasha’s focus was pulled toward the front of the common room, because someone out there needed to speak with her.

Nick Fury himself had finished his conversation with Steve Rogers, and now he was looking for Nat. She walked over to him, and she left the two men at the table.

Bucky kept looking up at Clint. The archer smiled at him, then he made another sound. The sound reminded Bucky of an owl.

“Hey! I’m glad you’re the nice one. The other one broke parts of my face.”

And his ribs, but who cares ...ehh? Clint had a very friendly smile. He seemed a little out of place in the common room, and young.

Bucky could see more suits and ties amongst the crowd, but Natasha and Clint seemed to have their own vibe.

“Where are you two going?”

Bucky wanted to tag along. The archer thought about the question, and he glanced back over in Natasha’s direction.

Their mission wasn’t technically “Top Secret” like it was on some spy movie. Agents could loosely discuss some stuff. It was good coffee shop talk.

“Uhh, Budapest. I think? Nat runs the show.”

Barton scratched the top of his blonde head and he gave Bucky another smile.

“You normally run with Cap and his people, right?”

Clint asked with an uncertainty. There was a ton of movement in that organization. Yes. Bucky normally ran with Steve’s crew. 

Bucky wasn’t sure if he wanted to do that any longer. He could be pretty lazy when it came to bureaucratic...bullshit. 

If he had to fill out any sort of paperwork then he was bothered. He was thinking about transferring rank and just rolling with them.

“What is your call code?”

Each “team” had a specific code or credential, so the people in charge could keep track of the bodies. Bucky’s call code was Bangarang, so he figured he’d be needing theirs.

“Oh, we don’t have one. Natasha’s team is off the grid.”

Bucky soaked in the response, and he looked over at that red head. He wondered what rank she even had to be able to work like that.

Fury was telling her about some changes regarding Steve, then they both looked over in Bucky’s direction.

What the hell.... 

It seemed like some serious shit was going down, but Bucky barely even wanted to stand up. That shit with Steve put him in an odd mood, so his motivation was pretty void.

It felt like politics. What a joke.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	19. COPYCAT (Part 4)

Chapter Nineteen: COPYCAT (Part 4)

* * *

Tony heard that sliding glass door open and close, so he marched on over in that direction.

He tripped over some shit, and he looked down at his feet. Happy had his shoes in the middle of the floor. Tony gave the shoes an irritated look, and then he kept going.

Clea Strange walked back into the room. She was going to tell her brother-in-law that it was almost time to go.

She saw Tony on her way back toward the living room, and she gently smiled. Tony was pretty friggen drunk. Not “blackout” drunk, but Happy did bring an entire case full of tequila.

They only bought the good shit, ok? The liquor also came in different varieties. Tony squashed his thought on that, and he finally stopped in front of Stephen’s dream girl.

She was stunning, completely sober, and ready to leave. Clea had her arms crossed gently over her stomach, and she politely waited for Tony to get out of her way.

“Listen Tink, I’m gonna go talk to your hubby. Is that going to be an issue?”

Tony tried to recall what he just asked and he hoped that it made sense. Tink was short for Tinkerbell. Tony often imagined picking Clea up and making all that sparkly dust fly about.

His drunk mind went there, but she didn’t seem too bothered. From her point of view, the connection between her husband and Tony was only, amusing.

If she was “cultured” like a normal human, she would consider their little romance to be somewhat like puppy love. Clea saw it as a feel good distraction that kept Stephen out of dark places.

That was it.

She took her time before she answered him, and she glanced back toward the balcony before she said anything.

“Why would there be any issue?”

Hmm? Clea needed a bit of clarification. She patiently waited as Tony stumbled around his thoughts. Uhhhhhh.... ahah. Tony brought his hand up to the side of his face, and he gave a goofy laugh.

“Well, cuz I used to hate you for centuries. Stephen never shut up about you, and...”

Super agro. It aggravated Tony for years. He felt it was best to confess. I mean, those days were done and over with. He didn’t “hate” Clea Strange. She made Stephen very happy... so..

“Well, now he never shuts up about you. I think that means we are even?”

Was that how it worked for earth people? Clea actually shrugged because her emotions were not really on the same page as humans. 

They were a very emotional culture. One silly little thing could alter their entire lives. Clea found it fascinating. 

Even in that moment, Clea could tell that what she said affected Tony. His demeanor changed immediately. It amused her, but it did not affect her. 

Their puppy love connection did not equate to, or interfere with her marriage to Stephen.

In fact, when Stephen weakened to his emotions like that, she just inwardly preferred Agamotto until he returned to himself.

Was that anyone’s business? No. Clea never said shit, because she didn’t need to. She walked around Tony and headed back over to Victor.

Tony swallowed down what she said. He wondered if he actually heard that correctly. The brunette retraced what she said as he walked toward the balcony door.

A loud song was being sung behind him as Tony opened up the door and looked over at Stephen.

That sorcerer was looking out at the ocean. It was getting pretty dark, but he could still see the waves pulling back into the sea.

Tony slowly cleared his throat, and he noticed Stephen snap out of some sort of daze.

“Yo.”

“Hey. That..”

That was bad. Stephen didn’t finish his thought. His thoughts were pretty twisted around in that moment, so the sorcerer gave a low sigh.

Tony forgot what he was going to say to him. He forgot why he marched toward the door, and overall he was just a mess.

OH RIGHT! The salsa shit.

“What did I supposedly say to you? I’m so confused right now..”

Tony’s brain hurt. He refused to really look up at Stephen, because what Clea said almost knocked him through the floor. He could NOT process that kinda shit in that moment.

No way. No friggen way. Tony covered both of his eyes with his hands, because the tequila was swirling.

Stephen just gave another sigh and he started explaining what he possibly figured out.

“I think we sometimes parallel with our older selves. It might be a Mind Stone thing, but ...there are times when things that your older self is doing will parallel here. It must be a rift.”

It had to be a rift. Stephen possibly heard both Tony’s doing two different things in the same moment. It was confusing Stephen, so he was advised to give the Mind Stone research a rest.

It was an unsolved puzzle, however, so Stephen found it difficult to just drop the hunt.

Tony kept his hands over his eyes because he heard all of that wizard mumbo jumbo. A rift?? Get serious. Tony could not process any of that stuffffffffffff.. 

“I’m told the answers aren’t important. We’re going to head out soon, tho. Thanks for the invite.”

Stephen smiled at Tony’s drunk behavior and then he looked out at the ocean again. The brunette kept those hands attached to that face and he started nodding his head several times.

“Yup. You betcha. You got it. I’m gonna head right out too. Ok?”

Tony just turned himself right around and he took ten giant steps back into the house. He took ten more giant steps, but a person was in his path.

Tony felt some soft clothes in front of him. He took his hands off his eyes, and looked directly at a crisp clean shirt. 

Steve’s yummy chest was right there in his face, and he was taking off his jacket. That golden thing was home, and Tony kinda panicked.

He had a shit ton of people in the house, and some crappy song was playing pretty loudly. Rhodey was drunk and singing a very slow song. It was extremely awkward.

Steve just looked around at the mess, then he quietly glanced down at Tony.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	20. COPYCAT (Part 5)

Chapter Twenty: COPYCAT (Part 5)

* * *

Victor Strange was sitting on the floor in the living room. He was listening to another love song and watching Rhodey sing it for all to hear.

“This Romeo is bleeding..”

..

“But you can't see his blood..”

..

“It's nothing but some feelings..”

..

“That this old dog kicked up...”

Yeah. Uh, the Bon Jovi song needed to stop. Tony almost died as he heard the next ballad kick on. He glanced up at Steve.

He wondered how he felt about all the noise. Tony almost broke his voice out from his mouth, but a gentle kiss kept him from saying anything.

Steve didn’t mind Tony having people over. It never really happened before, so it was a little shocking when he first walked in.

He could taste that liquor. Steve wondered what it was, but he didn’t ask. Steve stepped back from their short embrace, and he looked back over into the living room.

“Who’s the person singing?”

OH SHIT! Tony friggen forgot that they never met Steve before. They just moved into that shack by the beach, and they never got around to meeting.

“I’ll introduce you. Hold up.” 

Tony stumbled his drunk self over toward the karaoke machine. He shut that love ballad down hard, and kindly thanked Rhodey for the lovely serenade. 

Tony permanently stole his mic, and he gripped the cord with his free hand.

“Rhodey Rhodes.. everybody. Always a pleasure. Uhh, my blondie is here. I’ve told them all about you, so...”

He was sure that his Stark Industries cohorts would be extremely excited to finally meet his blonde bombshell. Steve smiled at Tony, and he looked at the people in the room.

Pepper turned around quickly and she looked around for a blonde woman. Her jaw immediately dropped toward her Chanel pencil skirt when she saw that his “blonde” was a young.. gentlemen.

Wait, what? Pepper was shocked. Rhodey spit up some tequila. He knew exactly who he was looking at, and he was in disbelief.

Victor and Clea waved hello, while Happy just held a blank expression.

Groovy. Tony was good with that introduction. He set the mic back on the machine and he started migrating over toward Steve.

Life around them seemed to “resume” in a sense. Someone picked a song, and Steve put one of his arms around Tony.

“I actually need to tell you something.”

He didn’t want to wait. Steve wanted to tell Tony about a decision he made, and get any thought of it off his mind. 

Then, the soldier planned to move on from it, and join Tony’s celebration with his friends.

“Tell me something? Ok, uhummahh..”

It sounded kinda serious. Tony wasn’t sure he could handle serious, but he said that he would try. He looked toward the balcony. 

Stephen had cooled off enough out there, so he started migrating back in. He saw Steve and Tony all cuddled up.

Stephen just gave them a short wave. He was in an odd mood, and determined to leave. It felt like he was at odds with the Mind Stone, so he decided that Clea was right.

It seemed like he became disoriented and fatigued when he looked into it, so Stephen just crossed their path and told them to enjoy their evening.

Stephen needed to get back to New York, but he didn’t want the two of them to notice.

They both watched him walk toward his family, then bam...they were gone. Like magic. It was almost as if they were never there.

Steve kept looking where Stephen went. He thought it was a little odd, but he didn’t really want to focus on that.

He turned his attention toward Tony and asked him if they could talk outside. Tony gave his answer by nodding his head several times. The brunette felt like he had to confess something to Steve before they left the room.

He told him that he was “super” drunk, and the soldier gently laughed. Steve was aware of Tony’s condition, so he slowly walked him back toward the balcony.

Tony was very cute. Steve looked at his warm face and that messy hair. His stumbling was making Steve smile, so he pulled Tony toward him.

He picked Tony up. The brunette immediately started kissing the side of Steve’s face as he carried him out the rest of the way.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	21. COPYCAT (Part 6)

Chapter Twenty-One: COPYCAT (Part 6)

* * *

Tony felt pretty nervous. He had been getting a ton of information thrown at him on the one day that he decided to party, but he was a trooper.

He was out on the balcony again with someone that was pretty much the polar opposite of Stephen Strange.

Steve looked at the small bumps that formed on Tony’s arms. It was clearly getting cold for him, so Steve spoke up. 

“I quit working for S.H.I.E.L.D. today. I’ve also decided that I like it here more, so I think it would be best if this became more permanent.”

Ok, Steve said what he had to say. The soldier smiled, and he realized that he was holding Tony up. The brunette was leaning in odd directions.

I’m sorry, what? Tony got a bit choked up for a second there.. WHOA NOW. REPEAT?

“You...quit? How can, wait why?”

HUH? Tony was super confused again, and he was actually pretty concerned. He thought that Steve was pulling a prank on him or something.

“I resigned, and it is effective today. Nick Fury and I have different opinions about running S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Tony’s head seriously hurt. First it was time rifts, and now resignations. Those two fraternal twins had his head spinning more than the tequila. Tony bit his bottom lip and just tried to process.

He liked what he heard about Steve wanting to be in Santa Monica, so he decided to just focus on that. Oh, and he didn’t want to think about Bucky Fucking Barnes at all. 

He was glad that Steve hadn’t mentioned him.

“I was thinking about forming something similar here. Maybe a west coast version of S.H.I.E.l.D.”

Or, something. Steve didn’t really have those details planned out. He felt better after he resigned. He gently traced his hands over Tony’s arms, and immediately felt him react to his touch.

Tony was pretty quiet after Steve confessed, so the soldier just kissed the side of his forehead. Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. 

Tony was hearing that and acknowledging what was said, but wow. He was speechless for once. He felt those lips against his skin, so he stepped into it a little more.

Tony looked at that shirt. It was getting cold out there for Steve. Tony could tell because those muscles were bulking up. It made him wanna chew on his shirt, but he found some words to say instead.

“I could... help you design the space. Ooh, you could be my next door neighbor. OH, I could toss paper airplanes your way, and it would be way cooler looking than S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Tony thought the S.H.I.E.L.D. building was dull and boring. Steve listened to that mish-mush of a sentence and he smiled. The soldier didn’t respond, because he was too busy kissing Tony’s warm skin.

He wanted to get back to whatever that was on the balcony earlier, but they currently weren’t alone. Steve felt pretty used to that, so he wasn’t thinking about it in that moment.

The mood he was in became very obvious for Tony, so the brunette looked back toward the house. Steve’s hands started roaming around in yummy places, so Tony exhaled against that shirt.

“I was... uhh, they should go.”

Yeah. Party was over. Tony said something about being right back, and he made his way into the house. Steve had to laugh at his silly behavior, but he remained where he stood. 

Steve inhaled that fresh air, and he listened to all the sounds that were in front of him. He didn’t hear any sirens, cars, or people screaming for no good reason.

It was...

“Whoa, slipped. Happy is the sober driver so, they’re going to be escorted home safely.”

Tony made his way back to Steve, and apparently he slipped on the way over. The soldier glanced in his direction, and he pulled him close. He thought about mentioning something about Bucky, but his update on that didn’t really exist.

Steve barely spoke to him, because he was feeling that situation out. Now, he went back to kissing that brunette, and wondering why he randomly decided to have a bunch of people over, and get himself “super” drunk.

From Steve’s perspective, it wasn’t normal behavior for Tony. The soldier held off on any questions, and he started “necking” around to keep them warm.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	22. COPYCAT (Part 7)

Chapter Twenty-Two: COPYCAT (Part 7)

* * *

  
Stephen and Clea took Victor home. He had been sneaking shots of alcohol when they weren’t looking, so Stephen’s baby brother was passed out and gone.

Punch drunk, and currently sleeping it off. They made sure he was all snug as a bug in a rug, and then they went home.

They planned to check on him in the morning, and make sure he properly enjoyed his hangover.

Also, Stephen developed several theories as they traveled home. He felt better almost immediately when they reached New York, and he told his wife that it felt like the Mind Stone was declaring war on him.

Tony was oblivious to it, and he wondered if the stone’s power was increasing within him.

He either needed to put the Infinity Stone into something, or turn himself into an object that could safely contain it.

He mentioned that to Clea as they entered the apartment in Manhattan. She stopped with his words, and turned around. Clea immediately walked toward him and put a stop to his thought.

Clea brought Stephen’s lips to hers and she silenced what he was saying about Tony. The sorcerer did not expect that, so his eyes stretched open wide.

He slowly closed them after a moment, and stepped into what Clea was doing to him. She had Stephen all locked up against her because she wanted him to think about something else.

He didn’t realize that Mind Stone obsession, until she forced him into that kiss. Stephen brought his hands up toward her hair, and he gently started holding her face.

He was driving her crazy, and she needed him to notice. His mind was constantly in a million different directions. Each direction seemed to somehow have his full attention.

Clea couldn’t comprehend it. She needed him to point that focus in one direction in that moment, and her behavior actually got through to him.

Stephen quietly said that he was sorry to her, and he kissed his dream girl again.

He felt like an idiot, and Clea kept her thoughts quiet. She was glad that he figured it out, and so she just tried to keep him present in the moment that he was in.

~~~~——~~~~

Bucky Barnes had to be present in his moment as well. The plan to go to Budapest was postponed, and Bucky was asked if he wanted to join Natasha and Clint.

It was just for surveillance, but thenot-so-winter-soldier agreed to join them. He grabbed his bag from his room, and he followed alongside Romanoff and Barton.

He was being briefed on the mission, and Bucky’s eyebrows pulled together slowly. They were supposed to monitor the White Jackal.

....that was their mission?

Bucky thought there was going to be more to it than that. Natasha said that he was temporarily going to be living in a safe house, and he was supposed to be under surveillance 24/7.

What a life. Bucky wasn’t sure what he really voted for, but the guy was officially part of S.H.I.E.L.D. so....

They set up around the safe house. Bucky had eyes on the Jackal from a large window. Natasha was toward his left. “Hawkeye” was up above all the others. He was monitoring the building for any sign of a jailbreak.

The goggles Clint wore allowed him to see an imprint of the Jackal’s movement in the house. He could also see Phil Coulson in there with him, and the remnants of his suit.

Ezekiel had it on top of a large table. He looked over at the agent named Phil, and then he brought his hands back toward his machine.

Steve Rogers broke it again like it was nothing. The thought of that bothered the Jackal, so he started writing down some calculations into a notebook.

Phil asked him if he wanted anything to eat, but Ezekiel completely ignored him. His mind was tuning everything out, and an anger started building up within him.

Natasha touched her earpiece, and she listened to Phil tell Ezekiel that he made him some food. It was “on the counter” whenever he was ready.

Bucky kept his scope locked onto that Jackal. He looked pretty hellbent on fixing up that suit. Bucky also heard what Phil said to him, and he glanced over in Natasha’s direction.

She noticed. A small smile formed on Natasha’s face, but the widow kept her eyes permanently forward.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	23. COPYCAT (Part 8)

Chapter Twenty-Three: COPYCAT (Part 8)

* * *

  
All the “thanks for coming”, and the “nice to meet you” stuff was out of the way, and Steve Rogers closed the door on Tony’s random guest..fest.

Steve looked to his left and he saw that unruly brunette with a giant grin on his face. They had to say goodbye, and now they had to clean up.

Tony felt like he had to clean up, because he brought a bunch of people into their shiny new home. It didn’t really register in his mind until Steve’s chest was in his face.

Now, he felt really bad about it, because their place in Brooklyn had people around it all the time. Steve noticed that mood change when they were outside, so he suggested that he should say goodbye to Tony’s friends.

He didn’t want him regretting his little gathering. Steve really didn’t mind. The soldier took a moment and tried to somehow remedy Tony’s change in mood.

“I might try out a song, next time. An old one, but... yeah.”

Steve couldn’t believe his own words. It felt like he was preparing a rope to hang himself, because he did not want to sing in front of people for any reason.

Tony’s eyes sparked open immediately and he gave out a good laugh. The thought of Steve singing made his whole day. Tony picked up a few empty bottles and told the blonde that he already knew he had a good voice.

Steve’s face scrunched up a little, because he inwardly protested what Tony said. He watched him put the bottles that weren’t empty under his arm, as if he planned to keep the liquor.

Nope. The blonde pondered that and he stepped in close. Tony stopped what he was doing. He felt nervous, and he wasn’t sure why. A curiosity picked up in Steve, so he gently took one of those bottles from Tony and he read the label.

“Why are you “super” drunk?”

“I dunno.”

Tony bit his lip, and he took that bottle back. Tony knew exactly why, but he didn’t want to say it. The look on his face was playful, but Steve started noticing something else.

He wanted Tony to stop fiddling around with liquor bottles, and give him a real answer.

Steve let him do his thing, and put those bottles wherever they needed to go. Tony put the empty ones in the recycle, and the ones with tequila were placed on the counter.

Uhhmmaaa... Tony started making noises with his hands. He made odd gestures with his fingers when he was nervous. Drunk and nervous was an interesting combination.

Steve just watched him until he formed a well educated theory.

“Can I take a wild guess?”

He saw another smile form on that face. Tony just brought his shoulders up and he waved his hands about. He was kinda saying yes, but it looked more like another “I dunno”.

“I’m thinking it has something to do with whatever that was on the balcony. Remember? Before I left for work?”

Ack.. Tony froze up pretty quickly. He even sucked in a short breath and avoided looking in Steve’s direction. His tipsy mind recalled the event.

“You mean, when you TRIED to seduce me to get your friend out of some shit? Or ...”

What? Tony swallowed down the taste of the tequila as Steve slowly crossed his arms. It felt like he was onto something, so the soldier pressed on.

“You mean, when I SUCCESSFULLY seduced you? That’s all I remember.”

Tony was all over him on that balcony, and it didn’t get Bucky out of any shit. Steve refused to deal with his friend until he saw him again. That was not the issue that Steve decided to dare.

Tony’s face was heating up, and he snatched one of those bottles again from the counter. Steve was hot on it, and he decided to take it from him.

No way. They playfully started wrestling over the stupid thing, and Tony tried to bite his arm. It was ridiculous, but the two of them got all twisted up around one another.

Tony tried to squirm out of his super grip. The bottle was being pried out of his fingers, and it started making Steve laugh.

That blonde was being so fucking petty. Tony thought about stomping on his foot. Those bleach white socks were gonna get stomped, but somehow he ended up on the floor.

Tony just looked up at the beautiful ceiling and he took in a dozen short breaths. He heard all that tequila getting poured down the sink, and Tony gasped out as loud as he could.

Steve inwardly declared himself the winner of the battle, and the war... but he didn’t gloat. He left the empty bottles in the sink, and then he walked back over toward Tony.

Steve planned to walk around him and just go to bed. He was too in his head about Tony’s behavior, and not in the mood. Steve felt Tony latch onto his leg, and the blonde just gave out a slow sigh.

He kept going. Steve marched on toward their bedroom, while that brunette held onto his leg for as long as he could.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	24. COPYCAT (Part 9)

Chapter Twenty-Four: COPYCAT (Part 9)

* * *

  
Steve couldn’t sleep. He kept tossing and turning because he knew that the sun was on its way. Tony had kept his distance from him that evening, and the soldier didn’t like it.

It was all Bucky’s fault, so Steve thought about their upcoming conversation.

He glanced in Tony’s direction, and watched him stretch his arms as he slept. He stretched up just like a kitty cat. Steve took that opportunity to do something childish. He quickly snagged Tony’s pillow.

Steve tossed it far from the bed and he went back to his brooding. The blonde never did that before, and he was surprised with himself. Tony stretched in a way that took him away from his pillow, and it was gone by the time he went back to it.

Tony was dead asleep, so he was unconsciously adjusting to the change. Steve played it cool. He just fixed his own pillow, and inwardly felt like he won another battle between them.

He couldn’t have Tony sleeping far away from him and acting all distant. It wasn’t fair in Steve’s mind, so he removed the wall between them.

Tony was clearly uncomfortable. Steve watched him re-adjust and he did his best not to laugh. Tony’s sleeping eyes opened a little, and he started looking beside the bed for his pillow.

... what the eff. Tony couldn’t find it anywhere. He tried to blink his way toward some better form of vision, but he couldn’t see anything in the damn dark.

Tony made a frustrated sound, and he squirmed around beside Steve. The soldier covered a laugh with his hand. He had to act like he was asleep, because Tony moved over toward his side of the bed.

Steve already had half of his pillow out ready for him. It was hilarious for the blonde, but he suppressed his reaction. Tony used that yummy chest as a pillow instead, and he exhaled against Steve’s shirt.

Tony was still asleep, but having him close made Steve feel better. He looked down toward that messy hair, and he gave his forehead a gentle kiss.

Tony said something about salsa, and Steve couldn’t take it anymore. He laughed out into the room, and quietly turned his face away.

The humor of the situation was really getting to him. Steve tried to get some sleep again. He closed his eyes and nuzzled up to Tony’s crazy hair, but his mind wouldn’t stop.

He felt Tony’s fingers gently grip his shirt, and his eyes wandered in that direction. Steve hated feeling at odds with him. He hated it more than anything...

That whole pillow thing finally seemed to register in Tony’s subconscious, because he opened up his eyes for the second time.

He understood exactly where he was, and he brought his head up off of that chest. Tony took in a slow breath, and he looked directly at Steve.

Steve’s eyes were wide open. He felt like he was caught in the act or something. The blonde decided to just awkwardly smile up at Tony. They stared at one another for a few seconds, and Tony started looking around that bed.

Steve didn’t want the pillow thing to start a squabble, so he said the first thing that he could think of.

“Salsa?”

He had to keep him from looking around. Tony heard that, and he blinked a few times. Wait, whut? Tony didn’t know what to think.

“...what?”

Hold the eff up. Tony rubbed at one of his eyes, and he playfully laughed at what Steve said. The soldier sat up a little. He didn’t want to say anything in that moment at all.

Steve wanted to do something else, but he didn’t want Tony thinking that he was trying to get Bucky off the hook.

He wasn’t trying to get his friend “out of some shit” on the balcony either, so Steve thought the situation was becoming a mess.

He felt that hand grip his shirt again. Steve started burning up, and he just tried to focus on the person in front of him. Tony noticed that Steve was acting ...weird.

He watched him sit up. His pillow was missing, and that golden thing seemed super stressed. Tony took a moment to think about a few things. Steve was going to finally say something about Bucky.

It was eating away at him, so Steve almost forced himself to address it. He was unable to, because Tony moved up toward his face. The brunette slowly kissed him, and Steve’s big heart melted down toward his stomach.

That moment on the balcony was finally repeating for Steve because his unruly brunette moved up even further. Tony placed himself up on that lap, and he kept devouring those yummy blonde lips.

Steve was a mess. Tony was always pretty forward with him, and very assertive with his body. Steve felt like he was surrendering to him a little. He always wanted them to be alone, feel alone, or be in a moment just like that.

Steve felt very selfish, and pissed off that Bucky was messing everything up. Those thoughts made the blonde feel a million different things all at once, so he roughly kissed Tony to make it all stop.

His brunette sank back into the “zone” that he was in on the balcony. It didn’t take him long, but Tony was back to pressing himself against Steve, and drawing out what they both really wanted.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	25. COPYCAT (Part 10)

Chapter Twenty-Five: COPYCAT (Part 10)

* * *

  
Bucky, Clint, and Natasha remained on “Jackal” surveillance until he physically fell asleep. Ezekiel was working on his suit for centuries, and Bucky thought he was going to die.

The guy passed out, so their shift officially ended. The three of them returned to the barracks, and Bucky noticed something.

Natasha and Clint both lived right there in the building. They had no “home”. It seemed like all they did was work for S.H.I.E.L.D.

Bucky didn’t comment. He just logged the observation in his tired mind, and he closed the door to his small room.

The next day, Ezekiel Stane said that he wanted to go somewhere. He woke up late in the morning, and Phil Coulson watched him finally eat.

When Ezekiel woke up, Natasha’s crew was told to head back in. That’s how it was going to be for the White Jackal until Nick Fury could trust him.

.... That was probably never going to happen. Phil watched him eat his breakfast, and he asked Ezekiel where he wanted to go.

“Brooklyn.”

The Jackal was not allowed to touch a phone or even look at a computer. His every move was heavily monitored, but Steve Rogers told him to “contact” him again when his suit was ready.

It was ready, in a sense, but Ezekiel needed to ask someone a question. His suit was not ....perfect.

Phil Coulson received an update on his fancy little ear piece. The man ate some toast, and he relayed the message that he received from his superior.

“I can take you to Brooklyn. Fury says you can have twenty minutes to do what you need to do.”

Bucky, Natasha, and Clint heard what was said and they prepared themselves to be on the move. Bucky didn’t like hearing that he wanted to go to Brooklyn.

Yeahhhh he didn’t like that one bit.

Fury wanted to see what the Jackal would do if he had a small window of freedom, so the excursion was approved. Ezekiel said nothing further, and he went to his bedroom.

He left his work on the table, and he started getting dressed.

~~~~——-~~~~~

In Brooklyn, Donna Strange was loading up the last of her stuff. She had her own car, and it was pretty packed. Her younger brother was with her, but her older brother forgot to show up.

Stephen clearly forgot that she asked him to help her, and something like that NEVER happened. Stephen never forgot anything, so she blamed Clea.

Victor was a little groggy, but he didn’t want his sister knowing that he had been drinking. That was TOP SECRET, because she was nosy and bossy.

He loved her tho.

Victor worked through his mini-hangover, and told her that Stephen seemed extra distracted. She didn’t care if he was, because he told her that he would be there.

SO, Donna was in a lovely mood. She lived in Bucky’s apartment, but she found a place to live with one of her co-workers.

It hurt her chest, but she felt ready to close the door on her relationship with James. She thought about it as she moved stuff around in her car. The man she lived with had no idea what he was doing.

Donna never planned to marry the guy or anything... I mean, she wasn’t even supposed to be alive.

Her logic on their breakup made sense in her mind, so she sighed and looked up at the tall apartment building.

“James” was Bucky’s actual name. He was stationed on the roof of a building that was across the street. He watched the Jackal make his way toward his own apartment complex, and he saw Donna Strange on the sidewalk.

Ezekiel breezed right by her as she packed the car, and Bucky just watched. He couldn’t believe what he was doing in that moment, and his mood started shifting downward.

She was wearing a copper colored skirt, and Bucky closed his eyes. He lost his focus pretty quickly as Ezekiel walked into the apartment lobby.

Natasha was watching every step. Her eyes were covered with a pair goggles, and she could see his movement from something that was attached to his clothes.

Ezekiel was wired, so the entire crew could hear every word that came out of his mouth. He was headed to Steve and Tony’s apartment, and Bucky knew that someone out there was going to be PISSED.

If Steve was there? Oh wow.....

“Hawkeye” still monitored the area around them. He was specifically looking for any sign of an ambush. It was some tricky shiiiit, but it felt like they had the situation handled.

Victor Strange walked out of Bucky’s apartment. He made some poor packing decisions, but he started walking toward the elevator. He was carrying a bunch of stuff for his sister. He actually had three wonky boxes of “girl junk”.

He casually carried the stuff, and walked by the apartment that belonged to Steve and Tony. They hadn’t been there in a long time, but he failed to notice that someone was walking up to the door.

Ezekiel stopped in the hallway. He saw Victor walking in his direction, so he froze.

He didn’t really interact with people, so he wasn’t sure how to make his presence known. Natasha could see Stephen’s younger brother, and she made it known on the comm link.

“We have Victor Strange walking right in the Jackal’s way. Sit tight for now.”

Bucky opened his eyes up quick. He brushed off what he felt about Donna, and he checked on her through the scope. She was still moving stuff around, but it seemed like she was waiting for Victor.

It felt awful for Bucky to look at her, because he knew that all her stuff was cleared out. The not-so-Winter-soldier wasn’t sure when he’d be able to go back to his apartment.

... The thought of returning was slipping down with his mood. He heard Natasha say something else, and he snapped back into the situation.

Victor saw the “Jackal” right before he almost walked right into him. He stopped abruptly, and apologized a dozen times.

The boxes actually made contact with the White Jackal, and Victor freaked.

Whoa whoa whoaaaa. He tried to fix what he was carrying, and he asked the guy in front of him if he was ok.

“It’s fine.”

Oh, ok. Cool. Victor moved a little and he gave Ezekiel the space to walk by. He watched him walk up to Steve and Tony’s door. He was wearing a fancy grey suit, and brown shoes. 

Ezekiel had light brown hair. His hair was long enough to grip, and Victor thought that he seemed ... nice.

Victor actually liked his style, and he wondered who he was. He thought about how he wouldn’t wear anything like that, but it was... nice. He looked rich, like Tony.

He smiled just a bit as he watched Ezekiel knock on the door. Victor had a comment to say, but he decided to focus on the uneven boxes that were in his hands instead.

He recovered and found some balance, but Victor’s blunder was noticed. Ezekiel glanced over in his direction, and he watched him re-adjust what he had in his arms.

“I don’t think they are home. Actually, I think they moved.”

He knew they moved, because he was just at their new house. Uhh, he suddenly felt awkward. Victor smiled at him again, and he stepped around. Ezekiel ditched the door, and he put his hand on the top box as Victor spoke. It was falling forward, and the Jackal didn’t think that he noticed.

Ezekiel pushed the box back toward him, and it balanced the load. He looked over at the apartment door again and sighed. He knew Steve’s address, and that apartment was the only stop that he wanted to make.

His twenty minutes was running out, and he declared the outing to be a failure. There was no point if they weren’t home.

He took a second and looked at Victor Strange. His clothes were casual, and he looked lazy. He also looked familiar, so Ezekiel decided to say something.

“Do you sell those or something?”

He pointed at the advertisement that was being displayed on Victor’s shirt. The baby Strange was completely baffled. His face burned up immediately. He moved the boxes more up on his hip, and he looked down at his chest.

Wha.. what?

His shirt clearly said, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS... so Victor felt embarrassed. He was wearing an old t-shirt that he got from his brother. He didn’t sell chili peppers. Victor thought that was funny, so he gave a short laugh.

“NO. Haha I don’t.. sell, this is the name of a band.”

Oh. Ezekiel was unaware and he shrugged. His attention went toward the elevator, but he had to look back at the person that was awkwardly holding onto a bunch of boxes.

Ezekiel couldn’t place it, but Victor looked very familiar. Uhhh.. Victor swallowed hard. He just kinda stood there. He thought that the guy looked ...

Interesting?

Uhh, smart?

He seemed kinda elegant. Victor thought about asking him what his name was.

He almost asked him, but the guy walked on toward the elevator.

The baby brother of the Strange bunch moved the boxes, and he looked down at his shirt again. That interaction was very brief, but it made him feel... weird.

He felt so weird about it that he kept standing there. He didn’t follow after, or do anything else. Victor actually needed to GO down with the elevator, but he couldn’t.

It took him forever to head down to the street. He felt stupid and...

...

..... weird.

Donna asked him if he was moving in with James up there or something. Victor stood by her car, and he looked around at all the other cars that were on the street. 

He kinda wondered where the guy went.

“Uhhh hello? Gimme my stuff.”

She wanted to smack Victor so badly. He seemed loopy, and out of it. His face was all red and she wondered if he was drunk. Donna couldn’t believe her idiot brothers.

She shook her head and removed her boxes from his arms.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	26. Bad Vibes (Part 1)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Bad Vibes (Part 1)

* * *

Steve and Tony finally went cruising. The soldier boy got what he wanted all morning, so Tony, in turn, wanted to take a drive.

They cruised all over, and parked underneath the giant donut on Normandie avenue. Tony wanted something sugary, so he got his donut fix.

Steve was in the passenger seat, and he was currently sketching something. Tony was chomping down his third donut, and he looked at that pen in his hand.

Steve was too friggen ...

Tony chomped down another bite, and he finished the thought in his head. He snuck another look at Steve’s drawing, and he started licking at his fingers.

Sugarrrrrrrr.

“I want it to look something like this.”

Steve picked his notebook up off his lap, and he went to hand it to Tony. He saw those fingers, and the blonde froze up.

Tony saw him looking at his sugary fingers. WHAT? He had a napkin. Tony just forgot to use it. He chuckled a little, and just looked at what Steve had in his hands.

He had a building all mapped out. Tony was technically looking at a floor plan, and he smiled.

“I was going to ask your dad about it, maybe spend some time with him and get the logistics out of the way.”

Ooh yeah, Tony wanted Steve to do all the boring stuff with his dad. The idea of them looking at property together or going to the bank gave Tony some serious feels.

He stared at the drawing, and he tried to make his hands seem cleaner. He wiped them off as best he could, because he wanted to get his greedy hands on that notebook.

Tony bit his bottom lip, because he wanted to snoop through it. Steve watched Tony attempt to clean up. He glanced up at that mouth, and he thought about the morning that they had at the house.

Steve turned two shades warmer, and he had to look over at the big donut.

“Ayy Steve, I think it’s very cool. I also love that you’re sticking it to Fury. He sucks.”

Tony barely knew the guy, but he knew the organization. He saw Fury more when he was younger, but meh. Tony wasn’t a fan.

Steve seemed a little distracted, so Tony slipped that notebook out of his yummy gold hands. He took another look at the sketch, and then he started flipping through to other pages.

Steve gave a short gasp, and he turned back in Tony’s direction. That notebook was...

It felt like a pulse. Steve considered his notebook to be just like a pulse in his body. Strange huh? He wasn’t sure what he had written in that particular notebook, so he hesitated a little when he saw Tony sifting through it.

“Should I have asked first?”

Tony held a playful grin. He stopped looking through the book for just a moment. He waited for a response, but Steve was off in la la land. He was just staring, and it made Tony smile again.

He returned his focus to that notebook, and his eyes stopped at a sketch. Steve Rogers drew Stephen Strange.

He was at his wizard desk, with all of his wizardjunk around him. Tony’s smile remained where it was until he thought about what Clea said.

Tony slowly closed the book, and he processed it with a sober brain. Steve snagged that notebook back and he hugged it toward his stomach.

It wasn’t OFF LIMITS or anything. He just wasn’t sure which notebook it was. He had some that he didn’t care to share.

Tony swallowed down what remained of that last donut, and his eyes migrated over toward Steve.

The words he heard from Clea came back to haunt him, and Tony figured that he better tell Steve. He had to tell him, right there in that moment.

Tony looked at that golden thing, and his face cracked into an awkward smile.

“...What?”

Steve could sense something. He kept hugging his notebook, and he looked at the box of donuts. They had the best morning ever, and Steve started thinking that something was about to change.

He saw the sketch that Tony looked at, and it felt like a slow cloud had suddenly creeped over the sun.

“I have to...........”

Uhhhhhhhmmmaaa...... Tony’s smile got a lot bigger, because he really didn’t wanna say JACK SHIT. Steve’s face went through a series of expressions.

Confused was the main look, so Tony sighed.

“I have to tell you, something. Now....it might not be anything, but it’s still something, so I figure I’d better say it.”

The grin would not end. Steve looked at those perfect teeth, and then he studied his eyes. Steve decided to exhale because he was holding his breath for no good reason.

He glanced down at his notebook again, and arched a brow.

... WHAT.

Tony was about to spill his guts and tell Steve everything that Clea did and said. He almost reached the confession, but something happened within their vehicle.

They both received an alert on their tech, because someone was trying to contact them in that moment.

It was definitely a “saved by the bell” sort of moment, because Tony quickly answered the alert. He didn’t even check to see who it was.

Steve’s jaw dropped to the floor of the car, because that smooth move was disliked. He listened to Tony give a fake cordial greeting, and his mouth remained open.

The soldier stopped his behavior when he heard the voice of Victor Strange. His voice made Steve glance over at the small screen that Tony’s technology projected.

Victor looked extremely upset. He said that his brother wouldn’t wake up, and that Wong had him reading pointless stuff just to keep him away.

The youngest sibling told Steve and Tony that they were at the Sanctum, and he repeated that his brother would not wake up.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	27. Bad Vibes (Part 2)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Bad Vibes (Part 2)

* * *

  
Natasha heard Clint give out another loud sigh, because they were back at the safe house. He was bored, because the damn Jackal barely did anything.

He just worked on his suit, and ate food. No one was coming to steal him, and apparently all he wanted to do was hang out with Steve Rogers.

What a bogus missionnnnn. Clint Barton yawned into his mic, and Natasha began to scowl. The two men on her crew were getting on her nerves.

Bucky Barnes was all melancholy, and stuck on some skirt, while HAWKEYE wouldn’t shut his face.

They heard Ezekiel actually say something, so Bucky woke up from his mini-nap. He looked through his scope, and he processed what was said.

“Could I possibly see a S.H.I.E.L.D. profile? I don’t need anything confidential. Just some basic information.”

Phil Coulson was reading a magazine. He looked up from it, because babysitting Ezekiel was no picnic. He was very quiet, and Phil endured it.

He was a quiet individual as well, but the combination didn’t mix.

“Why would you need to see someone’s profile?”

“To confirm a suspicion.”

Ezekiel thought that he figured out who the person was in the apartment hallway. His face looked too familiar, and it was nagging on the Jackal’s mind.

He had an eidetic memory,  but he had never seen Victor’s face before until that moment. His facial features were familiar, and Ezekiel drew out the recollection of a possible match.

“Who’s profile do you want to see?”

Nick Fury was listening to the conversation, and he told Phil Coulson to approve his request. He wanted to know everything that was buzzing around in the Jackal’s head.

A S.H.I.E.L.D. profile was not an issue. Taking a stroll through Brooklyn for twenty minutes was also not an issue. Ezekiel thought about his answer, but he did not look up from his work. 

The Jackal looked into the person immediately before he went to prison. He heard his name being said over the communication link, so he said it again in that moment for Phil Coulson.

“I want to look at the S.H.I.E.L.D. profile for Stephen Strange.”

That person in the hallway had a similar build, and similar facial features, so Ezekiel wanted to make sure that he was correct. He looked down at the palm of his hand as they all deliberated his request.

Bucky became more alert on that one. He wanted to know why Ezekiel was interested in Stephen. It was very random, but he remembered how the sorcerer identified him at the H.Y.D.R.A. base.

Stephen could somehow see straight to Ezekiel, and it was pretty crazy for Bucky to witness.

That request was approved, and Phil showed Ezekiel a digital profile of the Sorcerer Supreme. The Jackal stopped what he was doing, and he saw that there were additional pages.

“Next page, please.”

He had a feeling that he wasn’t allowed to touch the technology, so he didn’t even try. Phil held a puzzled look for just a moment, then he quickly flipped to the second page of the profile.

Ezekiel stopped his eyes where it mentioned Stephen’s relatives. He saw Eugene Strange, Beverly Strange, Donna Strange, and Victor.

“Can you open this link?”

He pointed at Victor’s name, but he did not say it out loud. That was by choice, because he didn’t want the ears in the room to follow his every move.

Only the eyes that were on him could see what he was looking at. Phil gently touched Victor’s name, and his profile showed up immediately. Ezekiel moved in his chair slightly, and he stared at the picture that was in the corner of his profile.

He seemed very full of life, and friendly. Ezekiel was reminded of Tony Stark’s warm energy when they spoke. He was glad that his memory didn’t fail him, so he turned away from the screen.

“Thank you.”

That confirmation was all he needed. Ezekiel went back to working on his suit, while the team of people around him puzzled over what he was doing.

Bucky wasn’t digging it. He didn’t like the White Jackal snooping around Stephen’s profile, or wandering around Steve’s apartment. It just seemed, weird.

He planned to let them both know as soon as he could. Until then, Bucky just sat there and watched the guy stare at his hand for hours.

What a life......

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	28. Bad Vibes (Part 3)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Bad Vibes (Part 3)

* * *

  
Steve and Tony entered the Sanctorum. That peculiar little confession was temporarily put on ice, because an issue suddenly decided to arise.

...Tony was lucky only for the moment, because issues are very temporary.

Steve kept quiet about it, but he was not going to let that subject drop. He was done with other people butting into his relationship with Tony. Steve Rogers declared himself officially DONE.

Bring it on Stephen, because the soldier was ready to kick him through a damn wall if he was putting moves on Tony again.

Stephen had a track record of making moves on Tony while Steve wasn’t looking. He always told himself that the sorcerer was patiently waiting for him to epically screw up, and then he intended to swoop on in.

That WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Steve held his thoughts as he walked into the main room. He saw Victor Strange, and his sister Donna.

She barely looked at Steve for some reason. The blonde said hello to them both, and he looked around for the others. Clea? Wong? Stephen?

Steve was more than confused, but Tony took over the show.

“Where’s the wiz?”

“He is upstairs. Wong put Donna and I on research duty, and it is STUPID.”

Victor raised his voice at the end there, and he hoped that Wong heard him. Victor and Stephen worked together almost everyday. He knew those books like the back of his hand, so he saw it as a dismissal.

“And the Tinkerbell Princess? Where is she?”

Clea wasn’t fluttering around at all. That confused Tony, so he made sure to ask. Victor always provided the full story. He didn’t bullshit or talk in riddles. Tony appreciated that, because his attention span was ....

He looked at Donna Strange.

It seemed as if she absolutely refused to look at Steve Rogers. Now, why would that be? Hmmmmmmm, Tony had a pretty good guess forming in his head. His smile grew very wide, and she caught onto it.

“Clea is currently in her dimension, asking questions.”

“Oh. Groovy. So, what can we do?”

They were specifically summoned. Victor was normally pretty emotional when something was up with his siblings. He was the one that called, so Tony assumed he was freaking out.

Understandable, because Stephen was unconscious. Tony looked up at the ceiling, and Donna’s voice filled the room.

“Wong doesn’t want to involve us. Victor and I have a theory and a plan, but we need the numbers.”

They needed more people to shut down Wong’s dominance on the situation. Steve heard that and he took in a slow breath.

Stephen’s siblings were very capable of handling things. Steve witnessed the two of them pull Stephen out of a mess once before. He was surprised that Wong was shutting them out.

He looked up toward the ceiling as well, and he mentioned that he’d like to talk to him.

Donna didn’t respond. She just looked at Steve, and briefly thought about what James told her. She was aware that they were friends, but..

It just felt like James was still searching for some perfect person in his head, and she clearly wasn’t it. Donna wasn’t going to put up a fight about it either.

She took a step back from the conversation, and Victor took over.

“I think his mind has been weakened because of the Mind Stone. He has been researching it, and it has overpowered him. All we need to do is go in his mind, and wake him up.”

Wong was being a diva. Victor felt very confident, and ready to march upstairs and handle the situation.

“There are way way wayyyy too many directions to go in Stephen’s mind. Donna and I can’t look around alone. We really need a team of people to wander around, and find him.”

Say what? They planned to snoop around in Stephen’s mind? Uhhhhhh.......

Tony instantly broke a small sweat. He quickly swallowed, and looked over at Steve. He saw that golden thing suddenly grin, and Tony’s brow kinda twitched.

“That is a spectacular plan Victor. Let’s go.”

Steve seemed a little too eager and excited about that plan. Yeahhhhhhhhh, Tony started thinking that Wong had a much better plan.

“Wait, UHH.. what exactly was Wong’s plan? Don’t you thin...”

The group completely ditched Tony in the room. Steve was gone in a snap, and Tony really began to sweat....

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	29. Bad Vibes (Part 4)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Bad Vibes (Part 4)

* * *

Another Jackal request occurred in the safe house, and it was extremely bizarre. Bucky listened to what Ezekiel asked for, and it made the not-so-winter-soldier scratch the side of his head.

He asked Phil Coulson if he could listen to music as he worked on his suit, and he wanted to hear a specific band. 

Listening to music while someone worked was an extremely normal thing for human beings. But, the request from Ezekiel just seemed out of place.

Normally, the Jackal didn’t listen to music that had someone singing. He inherited that behavior from his father, because the voices and words were distracting.

Could a person truly concentrate and listen to noise while strategizing and playing chess? 

Maybe if it was something classical or instrumental. But even that would pull the mind in other directions, so it wasn’t part of Ezekiel’s life or routine.

Phil Coulson could see that as he watched him work. He saw the strict concentration that he had, and found it suspicious when Ezekiel asked for specific music.

He randomly wanted to hear the music that the “Red Hot Chili Peppers” produced, and Phil began communicating with his superior.

Bucky didn’t know anything about the band, and he missed the detail about Victor’s shirt. He was oblivious to the meaning within the request, but some members of the team knew everything.

“We can bring you an old boom box, and track down some CDs. I actually have a few at my house.”

Phil’s voice filled every ear piece and the Jackal slowly stood up from his table. He turned his suit over and he started working on another section.

He only said a gentle thank you, and then he continued on with his work. Bucky sat through all that. He sat through it for hours, and the mission was beginning to drag on his soul.

It took half an hour, but Bucky watched them bring in a small music player, and a handful of CDs. Ezekiel altered his concentration. He stopped what he was doing, and inspected the art and all words on the case.

Bucky gave a short sigh and he started rubbing the side of his face. He needed to reposition again, because his body needed a million times more movement than it was receiving.

He needed to move because of that serum, and because he was normally very active. The Jackal’s life was very different from his, and Bucky was getting frustrated.

He seemed harmless. Bucky was failing to understand why they needed to monitor his every move. He didn’t understand what Fury was doing with him.

They voted him into S.H.I.E.L.D. just to keep him all bottled up in a safe house? And heavily monitored for years?

Itttttt didn’tttttt makeeeee aannnnnnyyyyy sennnssseeee.

Bucky loudly sighed again, and he glanced over at the person on his left. Natasha Romanoff was still secure in her position, and she heard all of that sighing.

The two men she was working with behaved like children. Clint was probably sleeping, because she hadn’t heard any whining from him for at least an hour.

She decided to take her eyes off the White Jackal briefly, and she looked directly at Bucky Barnes.

He didn’t expect it, so he quickly adjusted himself in a new location. Meaning, Bucky moved his body several inches because his leg was going numb.

WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE DOING??? That was the question that was on his mind. He screamed it in his head as he stared back over at Natasha.

She understood what they were doing. Her intel on the Jackal was more thorough, and that is why she was in charge of their group.

Her attention was pulled from Bucky, because the music started playing in the safe house.

Ezekiel chose a CD that had an interesting illustration on the cover. It had a painting of a blue woman. Her eyes were covered with yellow paint.

He went back to working on his suit, and just listened to the sounds that were coming out of that small machine.

Ezekiel randomly wanted to know about the music that Victor Strange advertised on his t-shirt.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	30. Bad Vibes (Part 5)

Chapter Thirty: Bad Vibes (Part 5)

* * *

Steve Rogers tried to hide his level of excitement. This was an opportunity for him to get to stick it to Tony’s interrupted donut confession, and possibly get to some truth.

He wasn’t some Boy Scout. Ok?

No. The Steve that existed right there in that moment was in the mood to fight dirty, and take full advantage of the situation.

Maybe he was tired of the guessing games, and the glossed over connection that always loomed between Stephen and Tony.

He followed Victor’s lead, and he noticed that Stephen’s brother kept looking at him. Victor was thinking about Steve’s clothes. He just realized that he always looked....

....

..... nice.

Steve always dressed nice. His clothes always seemed perfect and professional. Victor’s mind went somewhere else very briefly, but he let go of the thought when they reached the top of the stairs.

He waited for his sister, and he smiled at Tony as they all climbed the mountain. The top of the mountain was Stephen’s mind, and only some of them were ready to jump in.

Tony kept looking at the peculiar wallpaper. He knew that his words were falling on deaf ears, and that Steve was dead set on snooping around.

Tony already told Steve everything. He friggen walked him through what happened with Stephen. He actually gave Steve a STEP-BY-STEP REPLAY.

Tony figured that he wanted Stephen’s side of the story. The soldier boy wasn’t getting any from that side, because Stephen Strange kept everything to himself.

His side of the story was also something that Tony wondered about, but it brought up some serious guilt. Tony looked at Steve briefly, then they all walked into Stephen’s crazy world.

Wong was sitting down on a large floor and he was repeating some sort of incantation. The words he used had Stephen levitated up. It was the craziest sight to see on a Wednesday, but everyone in that building was used to it.

Stephen simply looked asleep.

Tony kept looking at him as Victor started speaking to Wong. The sorcerer told him several things. He told Stephen’s brother that he was being a pain in the ass, and that Tony needed to be removed from the room.

Uh, what? Tony blinked a few times. He snapped back into the situation. Wong told him that he needed to leave.

“Victor, he carries the Mind Stone. He can’t be in here until we figure this out.”

Wong raised his voice, but Victor shot right back at him. Tony listened to some more deliberating, and he took in a few slow breaths. It felt like he was in a bit of a tunnel or something. The brunette just kept staring forward.

Donna Strange touched Tony’s arm. It felt like a crazy storm was swirling around in that weird room, but Tony focused when he heard her voice.

She said that she was going to stay with him. Tony backed out of the room, and all the chaos and noise suddenly stopped when she closed the door. Whoa. Tony blinked six times, and he heard Donna ask him if he was ok.

Ok? 

Tony had to think for a moment. He was aware that he had the Mind Stone within him, but it never really did anything. In his mind, it seemed like it was just sorta there.

He felt it occasionally, but it didn’t...

Donna walked him back downstairs. Tony kept glancing up. So.... Steve was going to get VIP access to Stephen’s head? Meanwhile, Tony didn’t even get to stand in the same room?

Lovely. He was extremely nervous about it, and still sweating the whole situation. 

Donna asked him if he wanted to sit down, or possibly drink some water. Tony just blinked for the hundred millionth time.

Say what? He was cool. It was cool. Everything was cool and groovy. Tony wasn’t about to freak out. He actually smiled. Donna just pondered Tony’s behavior, and she she finally let go of his arm.

“Oh, I’m good. Thanks.”

....

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	31. Hey Brother (Part 1)

Chapter Thirty-One: Hey Brother (Part 1)

* * *

  
Wong sent Steve and Victor’s astral form into the unconscious part of Stephen Strange’s mind. They were making their way to it, and Steve couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Stephen’s mind was organized in two different ways. He was the Sorcerer Supreme, but he was also very close to becoming a full-blown surgeon. That meant his mind was very organized, and Steve could clearly see the distinction between his two worlds. 

The soldier saw what looked like a never-ending supply of books on one side of his mind, and millions of files on the other.

“Are those patient files?”

Steve asked Victor a question as they floated through Stephen‘s head. The brother looked at him, and he gave the question a slight shrug.

“Those files contain patient information, yeah. I think it’s also all the stuff he’s stored up as a student.”

Wow. Steve was staring at something that stretched as far as he could see. It was crazy. The soldier kept following Victor‘s lead, and other questions started forming.

“What are all the books about?”

He didn’t think Stephen held onto all the literature that he read. The amount of books seemed uncountable. Victor thought of something completely different as he took Steve toward another section of his brother’s mind.

He had a question for the soldier, but the thought of asking it made his face heat up a bit.

“Uhh, those books represent what he has learned from the Mystic Arts. I look through them sometimes when I get stuck.”

The question Victor wanted to ask nagged again. He felt his face heat up even more, so he looked in a different direction.

“Well, how can we possibly navigate this?”

It was endless. Steve thought that it would take them years to sift through all the files or books, and they still wouldn’t even make a dent. He was always fascinated with Stephen Strange. 

The soldier thought about that as Victor took him into another section.

That section had a darker vibe to it, and it only had a ton of organized folders. Each one had a title, and Steve’s interest began to heighten.

“We’re only going to navigate the parts with his emotions. This area is where he would most likely be.”

Victor finally responded to Steve as he remained in one place. Victor kept staring down at the sea of files, then he slowly looked over at Steve.

He swallowed a couple nerves, and he finally decided to ask his question.

“Did.. did you’re friend contact you?”

CRAP. Victor instantly regretted his question because it felt like his face was on fire. He stopped looking at Steve, and he tried to process what he was feeling.

Did his friend contact him? Steve was confused almost immediately. He looked over at Victor and he held a very puzzled expression.

“Friend?”

Victor knew Bucky. Steve wondered if that was who he meant. The soldier turned his focus back toward those files, because he wanted to hunt around for anything that related to Tony.

Steve wanted to get going, but he suddenly noticed the peculiar look on Victor’s face.

“Yes, you’re friend. He was knocking on your door this morning. In Brooklyn? I was just, wondering.”

Victor swallowed down those nerves again, as Steve’s confusion level shot up to the moon. He wondered who was knocking on his door. What the hell?

“Maybe it was one of Tony’s groupies? Or, maybe the landlord? What did he look like?”

Steve only had questions after that. He didn’t have that many friends, so he gave Victor his best guess. The youngest sibling wanted to know who the person was, because curiosity was quietly killing the cat.

Victor started feeling like a freak. He was super nervous about describing the person he saw, but he told himself that he had to do it. Steve kept looking at Stephen’s brother, and he began to notice his nervous behavior.

“He was young. Maybe ...twenty? He had brown hair. It wasn’t dark brown like Bucky’s, and ..uhh, he was dressed really nice.”

There. Victor described him as best he could, and he continued to NOT look in Steve’s direction. Steve had no idea who it could have possibly been. He tried to think of any “friend” that fit Victor’s flustered description.

Steve also wanted to get to work within Stephen’s mind so..

“Was he alone?”

“I think so. He was just....at your place. I told him that I thought you moved, but I didn’t tell him where.”

Ok. Steve was picking up some interesting vibes from the youngest Strange. Victor’s body language was saying much more than his words were.

“Did he say anything to you?”

Steve’s interest on the subject began to expand. He waited for Victor to answer, but he kept looking at the movement of his hands. He seemed extremely nervous, and it reminded Steve of a certain brunette.

“Yes. He asked me something about my shirt. He didn’t know that this is the name of a band.”

Victor stretched out the shirt that he was wearing and Steve looked at what was written. He didn’t know anything about the “band” either, so his eyebrows slowly pulled together.

“His voice was very soft. He left right after that... so, I’m not sure what else to tell you.”

Victor brought his focus back down toward those files. He was supposed to be finding his brother in there somewhere. He closed his eyes where he stood, and let out a quick sigh of guilt.

Steve just kept watching him. Victor was obviouslyaffected by the encounter that he was describing. The soldier wanted to ask him if he thought the visitor was attractive.

Steve refrained from asking the devious question, but a small smile emerged on his face.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	32. Hey Brother (Part 2)

Chapter Thirty-Two: Hey Brother (Part 2)

* * *

  
Clea Strange had a specific question to ask someone called “The Watcher”. His actual name was Uatu, but that detail didn’t really matter.

She unfortunately had to wait. He was discussing something with another person, and so she impatiently waited for the opportunity to approach.

The man ahead of her had blonde hair. It touched his shoulders, and his body was built like Steve’s. Clea listened to their conversation, but the situation with Stephen consumed her thoughts.

The Watcher told Clea that she could speak. The conversation he was having was put on hold, so Clea approached him slowly.

She looked at the tall blonde, and asked Uatu for some insight into the situation with the Sorcerer Supreme. She wanted him to tell her what happened the instant his body went to sleep.

She was unable to look into things like that, or alter time. The ruler of the Dark Dimension waited for Uatu’s response, and she thought about Stephen.

The two of them no longer slept, so his body shutting down like that was a huge concern. She looked up when the Watcher turned in her direction.

Clea didn’t smile, but the thought of receiving some insight made her a little emotional. 

“I am unable to respond to your request.”

Uatu had no knowledge to give her. He turned away from Clea, and resumed his focus on the other person.

She comprehended his response, and finally inhaled. Being “unable” to respond to her sparked some confusion within Clea, but she walked away.

The Sorceress Supreme left without a word, and she planned out her next move. She intended to head into her own dimension and find a creature that was called “Nightmare”.

She planned to skin him alive until he told her something of worth. Clea was very angry, but she kept it all bottled up. Her thoughts recycled as she walked further away from Uatu’s domain.

A low voice caught Clea’s attention, so she abruptly stopped. The sorceress glanced behind her, and she watched the other person in the room approach her.

Thor Odinson offered his assistance. He approached Clea and informed her that matters with the Sorcerer Supreme fell in his line of jurisdiction.

“I was recently informed that he is on earth.”

Thor was finally getting around to his responsibilities, and getting to know the Sorcerer Supreme was part of it. He asked if he could join her, and his smile was enormous.

He was ... enormous. Clea quickly returned the smile, but her thoughts went back to the situation with Stephen.

“I was going to head to my dimension. You can join me, yes.”

The creatures of her dimension were often despicable toward her when Stephen wasn’t beside her. Clea wanted to avoid that, and just talk business.

She figured having the presence of Thor there would speed things up. Clea formed a portal. She stepped into the dark, and they both made their way into her dimension.

“Are you an apprentice to the Sorcerer Supreme?”

Thor was learning and he couldn’t keep track of all the people in his jurisdiction. He had far too many people to look over, and the stress of his authority was finally taking shape.

Clea was floating toward a common spot where Nightmare liked to linger. She processed the question and she looked over at the God of Thunder. 

Apprentice? Clea couldn’t believe what she heard.

“No, I’m no apprentice.”

She wasn’t insulted, but she thought that her marriage to Stephen was common knowledge. Clea didn’t like to discuss herself in that manner, so she just let the subject go.

“I’ve heard the sorcerer is difficult to deal with. Is that true?”

She processed another question. Thor was full of them, and he also had the patience to draw them out. He wanted to step into his role as Earth’s protector, so the question needed to be asked.

“I wouldn’t call him difficult.”

Clea was Stephen’s biggest fan. She didn’t know about sayings like that, but she admired him and loved him.

Thor and Clea floated onward, and the massive blonde noticed something else beneath her response. His curiosity picked up, and another question formed in his head.

“Are you, related to the Sorcerer Supreme?”

He hoped that she was. Clea Strange was very beautiful, and Thor was a hopeless romantic. His question was smooth.

Clea could sense what he was really trying to ask her. She was familiar with that sort of behavior, but she refused to play along. She glanced at that giant smile, then quickly moved on.

“No. We’re not related.”

She stopped her course and started looking around the area for Nightmare. Thor was focused, but he was also planning to ask her another playful question. 

Clea kept looking around for him. She could actually smell the vile beast, so the sorceress slowly swallowed.

His scent made her want to throw up.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	33. Hey Brother (Part 3)

Chapter Thirty-Three: Hey Brother (Part 3)

* * *

  
For the friggen love of GAWWWwDd, Bucky was extremely bothered. His brain hurt from all the staring, and his ass felt like it was permanently numb.

The crew finally returned to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, and Bucky wanted to throw a chair. He wanted food, a shower, and...

....

...

He just remembered that he couldn’t go home. Donna wasn’t there anymore, and he’d only go home to an empty bed.

He absolutely hated an empty bed. That situation sucked and it started making Bucky angry. His anger was slowly directing itselfmore and more toward one person.

Tony Stark was going to get punched in the mouth.

Bucky held a deadly looking scowl on his face, and he noticed some red hair flash below his line of sight.

“You two are very annoying.”

Natasha had listened to those two bitch and cry for hours. She watched Clint Barton brush off her comment, while Bucky started removing some of his gear.

“I don’t care. We’re wasting our time out there.”

Bucky planned to bitch and cry all day long again if they were put back out there with the damn Jackal. He finally listened to music for once, and worked on his stupid armor.

That was it. The guy seemed moved by possibly half a song. He listened to one song twice. WHAT A LIFE. Bucky was done.

He started struggling with the left side of his vest. He looked down at it as he scowled at Natasha. She rolled her eyes and roughly shoved his hands away from his gear.

She began to detach the vest from the rest of his equipment. He got them stuck together somehow, so she focused and gave him some help.

“It’s not a waste. Ezekiel was denied a life, and now he is trying to build one here with us.”

Natasha would never admit it, but what she saw from the Jackal felt relatable. She wanted him to feel welcomed with S.H.I.E.L.D. and hoped he could build something more than a suit.

Bucky just watched her hands. She struggled with it a little herself, and he was getting tugged around.

Bucky was in a really bad mood so he rolled his eyes and sighed pretty loudly. He didn’t completely agree with what she said.

His eyes went from those hands to her face. He stared for a short while, then looked away. He wanted to go home to someone with dark hair, but that became a giant mess.

The not-so-winter-soldier decided to ignore what he wanted, and voice his true opinion.

“That is not living. What’s the difference between what we’re watching him do all day, and what his father had him doing since he was eight?”

Bucky didn’t see any difference.

“Is he just going to build shit for Fury now, like a slave? Wake up...”

Bucky had to roll his eyes again, and he felt that red head twist his arm. Gahh, the brunette winced back a bit, but the two of them ended up standing very close.

Natasha kept staring up at Bucky. She was very angry with him, but she could see where his comments were coming from.

What he said made sense, but Ezekiel’s journey with S.H.I.E.L.D. had just begun. They were keeping him busy, and discovering who he really was.

“We’re not going to spell everything out for you, Bucky. You either get it, or quit...like Steve.”

Steve Rogers wanted to take off and do his own thing? Fine. Natasha was indifferent, and she was NOT going to stand around and explain herself.

She kept ahold of his arm, but she slowly eased up on her grip. Bucky kept staring. What she said about Steve didn’t surprise him.

The vote was bullshit, and Fury was stupid for overlooking Steve. Now he quit so...

Bucky didn’t stop looking at that redhead. He was going to say something back, but his focus started shifting somewhere else.

“Should I put on a pretty skirt?”

Natasha spoke sarcastically, and Bucky blinked several times. He heard that shit, and he finally stopped looking at her.

“Yeah. Go for it.”

He decided to hand her some sarcasm back. He matched her tone because the thought of her only in a skirt wasn’t that bad of an idea.

Natasha simply smiled. She would never put on some skirt for a turn-on. She didn’t expect him to run with the joke.

“Should I put some tin foil on my arm?”

Bucky kept it going, and Natasha’s eyebrow shot upward. Her glare became very sharp, and Bucky could tell that he struck a nerve.

The actual “Winter Soldier” had a metal arm. Bucky didn’t have one, but he figured she wanted something similar.

“That works for me....”

The tin foil joke grew cold, but Natasha returned his cynicism. They were still standing close together, while a third voice filled the small room.

“And, I’ll wear the pirate suit.”

Clint Barton held a playful grin. He watched Bucky and Natasha quickly step apart. Those two went about their business like nothing happened.

The archer slowly put a yellow  toothbrush in his mouth, and he quietly laughed at them both.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	34. Hey Brother (Part 4)

Chapter Thirty-Four: Hey Brother (Part 4)

* * *

Steve and Victor were hunting around those files. Each one was properly labeled, and very well organized.

They were currently inside the file that was labeled “Mind Stone”, but Victor kept mentioning that he couldn’t feel Stephen.

They saw a lot of discussions with the older Tony, but Stephen’s research on the stone left the file a little empty.

“He’s not here. I’m turning back..”

Victor stopped short, and he took off back in the other direction. Steve trusted Victor’s insight on his sibling, so he quickly followed. In his opinion, Donna, Victor, and Stephen were very synchronized. They were also part of a very bizarre world, but Steve Rogers was keeping up.

They left the Mind Stone file, and the two of them kept digging. Steve’s eyes were scanning around for anything Tony related.

He saw a file that was labeled “Tony’s noise”, but something about it didn’t feel right. Steve stared at it for a moment longer, but then he shot forward and caught up with Victor.

“I think we should try this file.”

Victor hovered over a file and he gave it a little more thought. Steve almost caught up to him, but he kept looking around on his own.

The blonde saw a folder labeled “Fairytale Prince”, and it made Steve slowly grin.

Oh, is that how it is? He had a strong suspicion that he’d be looking at himself if he entered that file. Steve really wanted to venture in.

It was tempting him, and calling his name, but the soldier decided to move on. He was on a mission, so that file needed to wait.

Steve wanted to get to Stephen’s true thoughts on Tony. He needed to know what he was really dealing with, and Steve didn’t care what anyone else thought.

That sorcerer was hiding the truth. STEVE COULD FEEL IT, AND HE WASN’T STUPID. He heard Victor say something off in the distance, but he kept on looking.

His eyes scanned the names quickly as he sorta floated toward Victor. It felt like he had to rush. Steve didn’t want to rush through his snooping. He wanted to inspect those files and take his time...

The soldier suddenly gasped. He stopped abruptly and stared dead ahead.

He saw a lonely file. It just said “Thunderbird” on it, and Steve kept staring at it. The title was extremely random, and it made the soldier’s pulse pick up.

“Steve?”

Victor looked behind him. Steve was off in another location, and the baby Strange tried over and over to get his attention. The “Thunderbird” thing just shook Steve to the core.

He glanced over at Victor for just a moment, but then he went back to staring at that folder again. It was too random, and too....

“Sorry. Which one are you looking at?”

Steve pulled himself away from that file. He planned to go in it, but he wasn’t sure if Victor should join him. The soldier gave Stephen’s brother a friendly smile, and he looked down at Victor’s choice.

“This file is brand new. I have no idea what Starchild means..... but, I’m thinking he’s in there.”

Victor felt something in there, or someone that had an energy that was similar to Stephen’s.

Victor also felt nervous. Steve didn’t notice his hesitation, because the soldier wanted to head in the opposite direction. He turned his head toward that file, and said something out loud.

“I’ll catch up with your Victor. I want to check on something first..”

Steve vocalized what he really wanted to do, but he didn’t hear anything back from Stephen’s brother.

The soldier turned back toward Victor’s choice, and he realized that he was already gone. He took off into the file before Steve said anything.

Victor followed the pull of energy and carved his way through the file.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	35. Hey Brother (Part 5)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Hey Brother (Part 5)

* * *

Victor took a quick look around and he noticed that Steve didn’t follow him. The baby sorcerer looked back as far as he could see, and he couldn’t locate Steve anywhere.

The heck?

Victor was puzzled for a moment, but then he felt a wave of energy somewhere in front of him. The nervous feeling strengthened, and he asked Stephen if he was there.

The file was pretty empty. Victor only saw a pale color blue around him, and it felt like he was in some sort of void.

It made him think that the file was simply blank, but the energy he felt kept him in the same place.

Normally, he was taken through all the memories that were associated with the file name. If the file was about a person, then Victor would be seeing Stephen’s first encounter with the person that was named.

He wasn’t seeing anything at all, so the brother slowly scratched his head.

Obviously, “Starchild” wasn’t a person. Victor spent a lot of time around mutants, so he thought that it might have been a unique name, or something.

The energy he felt slowly moved. Victor noticed it travel behind him, so he turned around and tried to see what was wandering about.

“Uhh, hello?”

Someone. Was. There. Victor knew someone was there, and he was getting pretty annoyed.

He looked back over at the top of the file, and he wondered what happened with Steve. He didn’t think the soldier got lost, and Victor began to think that he needed to find him.

He tried to head out, but the energy moved again. It startled Victor, so he completely froze up within that blue void.

The energy moved closer toward him, and Victor asked for the person to show themself yet again. It was freaking Victor out as he floated around.

He thought that he heard a voice. Victor tried to focus, but he felt a little panicked.

“I said, the bill comes due. Can you not hear me?”

The low voice that he heard belonged to a man. Victor couldn’t see anyone, but a very creepy voice kept echoing around him within that file.

The bill comes due? Victor didn’t understand. He shouted that he could hear him, but he really wasn’t feeling a conversation.

“Does your brother truly believe that there is no price to pay?”

“Look dude, my brother has paid his dues. What are you doing in his head?”

Victor felt like he was talking to a ghost. He was used to some freaky stuff, but what he was currently experiencing felt like it was on another level.

The energy he felt was similar to Stephen’s. Yyyeeeaaahhh... it was comparable to his, but not equal. No way.

“Do you know the moment your time is supposed to end, Victor?

Victor did not have that information. His upcoming death was supposed to be altered. The youngest member of the Strange family was completely unaware of what was done.

Donna was supposed to already be dead, and their mother followed after her. Their father was the third death, and Victor was the last one standing.

Stephen was supposed to be all alone out there, but that fate had been corrected. Victor felt very uneasy, so he looked at the top of the file again.

“I don’t know what you’re getting at, creep.”

He had to go. Victor was really wiggin out. He shot upward and tried to leave, but the person finally emerged.

Victor finally saw the person. He was wearing something green. The visual he got was brief, because Victor’s body was violently pulled downward.  


Before that baby sorcerer could even react, the void around him became pitch black.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	36. Hey Brother (Part 6)

Chapter Thirty-Six: Hey Brother (Part 6)

* * *

“Are you, his.... acquaintance?”

Thor was teasing now. He asked Clea the same four questions in at least twenty different ways. He asked if she was Stephen’s apprentice. No.

His relative? No.

His neighbor? No.

His acquaintance?

Clea softly rolled her eyes, but she had to smile. Thor’s line of questions amused her.

“What do you mean, acquaintance? What does that word mean?”

Clea was technically a foreigner. She had heard the word before, but she never used it. She truly didn’t understand the word, so she was unable to answer Thor’s ridiculous question.

Also, the presence of Nightmare still lingered. Clea began to wonder if he was hiding from her. She started looking upward to see if he was watching from a distance.

“An acquaintance is a person that you see, occasionally. A friend, but not someone that is in your life all the time.”

Oh. Clea listened to his silly response, and she smiled again at the answer that formed in her mind. She was in the mood to play along, but she was not going to give Thor the answer that he was really looking for.

She didn’t feel the need to share her “title” with him, or anyone else. Clea was very intimate with Stephen, so for her, discussing her marriage to him was too personal.

“No. I am not his, acquaintance.”

Thor let out a small sigh of defeat, but that smile kept going strong. He could tell that Clea was intentionally being difficult, and the demigod didn’t mind it at all.

He inwardly hoped to all things holy that they weren’t married. Thor could handle them being romantically involved, but if she was taken? 

If she was spoken for, then Thor told himself that he would never recover. Clea briefly wondered what he was deliberating, but the thought left her mind when she heard another voice.

Nightmare always seemed to slither, and his voice was just a few decibels below the sound of a screech. Clea instantly cringed when he approached her, because his taunting was immediate.

“My my my my my..”

“Do not speak.”

Clea brought her hands up quickly, and she forced Nightmare’s voice back down his throat. 

She was his ruler, so that vile beast was supposed to fall in line. He rebelled against her all the time, of course, so Clea and Stephen would step in. 

There was always one thing between them that was consistent. Every time they interacted with Nightmare, he told Stephen the same exact thing.

“You always tell Stephen that as he prepares for the “we” then, “we” prepare for the you. So, is there anything you would like to tell me about that?”

Clea was prepared to give him only one chance. He kept gesturing his hands in her direction. Nightmare wanted to pull her close, but she held him back with a spell. 

Clea felt sick as she looked at him. She swallowed again, and slowly eased the grip off his body.

She only let him speak ...so he could answer her question. 

Nightmare responded. He said that he would answer the question only if he could taste her. Clea’s anger rose up quickly, and she gagged that vermin for the second time. Thor became disgusted by Nightmare’s behavior toward Clea.

His gestures were insulting, and what he said made the demigod’s smile disappear. Thor wanted to take Nightmare’s head in his hands, and crush it, like a melon.

“Something is going on with Stephen. If you are somehow involved....I will gut you, and have you replaced.”

His repulsive presence was making Clea feel even more nauseous. She held in the urge to throw up, and made up her mind to leave the dimension.

She cast Nightmare out of her sight, and then she looked over at Thor. He mentioned something about not being much help. Clea ignored what was said, and she thought about checking in with Wong.

“I am heading back to Earth. You can still join me, if you’d like.”

She wasn’t sure how long it would take for them to figure out what was happening, but Clea knew that she needed to get out of Nightmare’s pocket dimension.

Thor gave her a simple response. He said that he wanted to meet Stephen while Clea created a portal back to the Sanctorum. She stepped through it, and immediately started flying up the steep stairs.

Thor happily carried on like before, and he instantly followed her lead.

“Are you his, roommate?”

Thor’s playful smile returned because he thought up another question. Clea immediately stopped dead in her tracks. She looked behind her, and she stared at that colossal blonde.

She knew what a “roommate” was, and the question actually made her laugh.

“No. I am not his, roommate.”

She continued her way up the stairs, and she opened the door to the room that Stephen was in.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	37. Hey Brother (Part 7)

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hey Brother (Part 7)

* * *

Steve Rogers ventured into the file that was labeled “Thunderbird”. His nerves were all over the place when he entered, and the first thing he saw around him was the small room at the X-Mansion.

He could see Stephen Strange back when they first met. He was nineteen years old, and Steve couldn’t get over how young he looked.

He was unpacking his things, and Steve watched Tony abruptly walk into Stephen’s space.

_ “I was told that I would have a private room. Bunking up, was a deal breaker.” _

  
....

Steve could tell that he was irritated. He didn’t know that Stephen was actually grieving at the time. His sister Donna had just passed away, and he was temporarily pulled out of school.

_ “Consider yourself constantly lied to.” _

Tony just made himself at home. He did as he pleased, and sat down on the other bed. Steve was dead set on seeing the details that were right there in front of him.

_ “Noted. Who are you?” _

_ “Tony.” _

He needed to see how they were when they were, alone. People could call the blonde crazy all they wanted. Steve really didn’t care.

The look on Stephen’s face right in that moment was what he always wanted to see. He saw admiration there, and a smile that was slowly growing.

They shared that space together for a pretty long time, and Steve couldn’t stop watching what they were doing.

Tony was only seventeen in that memory. Steve smiled at his unruly brunette, because he looked so young and charming. He had Steve completely charmed almost immediately.

Steve began to wonder how long it took for Stephen to feel the same way.

_ “Do you have any weed?” _

...

Steve had to quickly cover his mouth, because he didn’t want to laugh out loud. He wasn’t sure how it worked inside Stephen‘s head.

Could he be seen where he was? Or, could the Stephen and Tony in the memory possibly hear him? The soldier didn’t want to risk any interruption in his research.

He watched Stephen actually unpack some marijuana from his belongings. Tony headed toward him in a rush, and that was that.

An easy-going conversation sparked between them right off the bat. The weed thing caused Stephen to just talk and talk, while Tony followed along.

Steve wanted to know when the person in the room went from “Tony” to “Thunderbird”.

Stephen’s nickname for Tony was founded off of what exactly? When? How? Where? UGH.

Steve told himself that he was going crazy. Well, so be it. He watched those two smoke that crap, and talk about Charles Xavier.

Steve specifically remembered being next door to them, and smelling the burnt yard clippings.

He quietly laughed again, but then gave a short sigh. He wasn’t sure how to “fast forward” what he was seeing.

His heart was telling him that it wasn’t the right moment. Steve would only know, when he knew.

And..... he had to know. GAH. The soldier closed his eyes, and inwardly told the file to move forward.

He politely asked it to just show him “the moment” that he needed to see. Was that asking for too much?

He slowly opened his eyes, and the movement in front of him had picked up speed. He saw Tony get a notebook out, and the conversation between them begin to change.

Steve could see a faster version of all the weed smoking, talking, and moments of Tony wandering around the room. That seemed to be the theme of the day, but Steve continued watching every single step.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	38. Hey Brother (Part 8)

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Hey Brother (Part 8)

* * *

Donna Strange and Tony Stark both saw Clea and Thor enter the Sanctorum. Their thoughts went in opposite directions, but the two of them focused.

Donna wanted to know who the hot blonde was, while Tony knew who he was right away.

Their version of Thor had finally emerged, and it made Tony’s eyes slowly close. He started walking toward the stairs, and Donna quickly grabbed his arm.

“What the hell? You can’t go up there, remember?”

She had to hold onto Tony. They didn’t know what was up with the Mind Stone, but it was obviously affecting her brother.

Tony glanced down at his arm. He brought his eyes up to Donna’s and told her his first thought.

“You should sit this one out, and let the Ancient One take over.”

Someone was doing some sorcerer hunting, and Tony could see it. Their small group was aware that Donna’s body was sometimes used by the Ancient One. They saw it when they encountered Agamotto, and it was time for it to happen again.

Donna blinked a few times, and she asked Tony to explain. She needed to understand why he said that, but he turned back toward the stairs.

“Is something serious going down? Tell me what’s going on...”

Donna tried to keep Tony in her grip, but the brunette was gone in a snap. She gasped out into the empty room, and then she immediately started heading up those stairs.

Donna reached the top and she burst into the room with Wong and Stephen. She looked directly at the other sorcerer, and she began to fill him in.

“Tony disappeared. I think he went in there.”

She pointed at Stephen’s head. He was looking toward the top of the stairs before he disappeared, so Donna kinda figured that Tony jumped into Stephen’s mind.

Wong heard her, and he eased up on his incantation. It seemed like everyone was in the mood to jump into Stephen’s mind. The Sorcerer Supreme was under attack in more ways than one.

“They are gathering, and I’m not sure why. I think you should go in there Donna.”

Her abilities were developed, but Donna Strange did not actively practice the Mystic Arts. She wasn’t like her brothers at all. 

When issues arose around Donna, her body handled it without the use of her own mind. The Ancient One always took over, and Donna was somewhat aware of it.

She communicated with the Ancient One sometimes when she slept. That happened months ago, probably longer.

Donna wasn’t sure, but she looked at her older brother. Stephen was still floating in the center of the room, and it looked like he was in a deep sleep.

Wong stared up at Donna.

He thought about how Tony, Steve, Victor, Clea, and now Thor were all wandering around or lost somewhere within Stephen’s mind.

Donna was the last one to approach the situation, but she was actually the first person that would get the ball rolling. Wong was shown everything as he protected Stephen.

“Everyone is in their, Donna. You should join them.”

She heard Wong, and the young woman slowly cleared her throat. Join them? Ok. She vaguely knew what to do. Victor tried to teach her some stuff all the time, so she slowly closed her eyes.

The Mystic Arts stuff was pretty freaky, but Donna settled into a soft focus. She took in a slow breath, and immediately felt a pull to her soul.

The strength of the pull increased, because Wong was sending Donna into her brother’s mind. Donna felt herself enter the bizarre world where her siblings liked to roam, and a nervous feeling began to set in.

Donna slowly opened her eyes, and she looked out at the crazy scene. She could see all the books, files, darkness, and spots for joy.

She could also see six colors. They were glowing way off in the distance, and some of them were moving in different directions.

Toward her left, she saw the glowing colors of red and purple. Below her, she saw a gentle glow of blue. Way way way up ahead of her ...she saw yellow and orange.

The color green was glowing, and moving close to blue.

Super weird, huh? Donna took it all in and concluded a few things. She started realizing that the colors were connected to some of the people that she knew, so she started migrating downward.

Stephen’s color was green, so she thought it would take her directly to him.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. 

Hang in their guys, it will all make sense eventually. :)


	39. Hey Brother (Part 9)

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Hey Brother (Part 9)

* * *

Donna followed the shiny green light, and she stopped outside one of her brother’s fancy little files. It just said the word “Home” on it, and the sister held a small smile.

The pull of green took her to that moment, so she touched the folder and made her way in. She needed to speak to her older brother about so many things, but Donna decided to settle on the drama for the day.

She saw her family home, but the house looked empty. It didn’t feel like their family was there at all.

Donna slowly floated toward the large porch, and she saw Stephen. Her brother was sitting on the far side of the porch, and he was looking out at that lake.

Donna stepped up toward Stephen. His energy felt right, but he looked troubled. She had seen that look on his face a million times before.

Stephen kept staring out at the lake. He felt Donna’s presence approach, so he slowly turned his focus toward her.

“You’re awake?”

She wasn’t sure what was happening. He seemed unconscious when she saw his body. Stephen kept quiet, and he looked down at the spot beside him. 

He wanted his sister to sit beside him. Stephen was definitely awake. He knew who was in his mind, and what everyone was doing. It stirred up too many things for the sorcerer, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

Donna Strange sat down beside him. It felt like her brother wanted to deliberate, and fill her in on some sort of plan.

She knew when he was in the mood to argue with her, and he clearly had much more on his mind.

“Donna, I’m being brought to trial. There are things that I have to answer for.. selfish things.”

Stephen knew what was going on. Victor was taken, but the responsible group was still unclear.

Steve Rogers didn’t trust him, and he understood why. Stephen felt like he was being taken to court over two separate crimes.

Hiding what he felt about Tony was crime number one, using magic to keep his family was the other. Stephen stared down at the porch as Donna continued to stare off at the lake.

“What do you need me to do?”

Stephen always had a plan. If he was going to answer for things, than he most likely had his answers years ago. Donna just needed to know her place in the puzzle.

She slowly looked at her big bro, and she saw his small smile. Stephen could see a few possibilities playing out in that moment. He couldn’t ask his siblings to correct his mistakes. 

He couldn’t ask them to pay for his crimes either, so he gave her his full focus.

“Baron Mordo has taken Victor to the Dark Dimension. He’s the person that wants my head on a spike. I need you to join Victor, so he isn’t alone.”

Stephen never wanted Victor to feel alone. He had to deliberate and figure everything out, so the Sorcerer Supreme actually needed more time.

His other crime needed to be addressed first, and progress wasn’t going to happen until it was worked out.

Stephen sucked in a deep breath, and he decided to rest his head on Donna’s shoulder.

“If you stay here, he will come for you.”

Stephen knew exactly where the jealous sorcerer was. Mordo wanted to be the Sorcerer Supreme, and he always resented Stephen. 

Keeping his family alive was the loophole that Mordo needed to put his title of Sorcerer Supreme on the chopping block.

Donna told Stephen that she would remain with Victor, and the two of them stared out at that lake.   


They both knew they couldn’t stare for too long, but the quiet moment felt nice.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	40. Hey Brother (Part 10)

Chapter Forty: Hey Brother (Part 10)

* * *

Holy shit. Bucky was back out on surveillance, and staring into the safe house. Ezekiel informed Phil that he perfected his suit, and the not-so-winter-soldier watched it form over his body.

It transformed over him, and it assembled just like Tony’s. Bucky was in a bit of disbelief, but then he formed a small grin.

Take that, Tony Stark. 

Bucky was glad to see that he actually did have some competition out there in the nerd department. Ezekiel stared down at the hands of his suit, as Nick Fury’s voice interrupted all the audio.

He called the surveillance crew in for an emergency meeting.

They were told to drop everything, and head back to base. Bucky glanced over at Natasha. She was avoiding him, and that was just fine and dandy for Bucky.

He was just joking about the skirt and tin foil thing....so, whatever.

Bucky packed up his shit, and he joined the crew. Ezekiel’s presence was required as well. That surprised the Jackal, but he entered the building with his suit on. 

Ezekiel looked at the two people that were walking beside him. He still had to have a special escort.

The “White Jackal” just followed the lead of his escort, and he stopped when they reached a large conference room.

Nick Fury was there, and he had some images on a giant screen. Bucky, Natasha, and Clint were already in the room. They saw Ezekiel walk in.

Bucky figured it had something to do with his friggen suit. The instant he maneuvered it like Tony, the communication link started firing up.

Bucky made a personal bet with his own brain, because he had a feeling that Ezekiel was just going to get exploited all over again. It looked like some serious shit was going on. Bucky started watching all the people scramble.

Natasha slowly sat down beside Bucky, and she quietly cleared her throat.

The not-so-winter-soldier cleared his throat loudly, and he stared at that damn red head. She didn’t look at him, AND THAT WAS FINE. 

Bucky didn’t want her looking over at him. In his opinion, she was shady. Bucky didn’t trust her. Clint Barton sat on the opposite side of Natasha, and he received a friendly greeting.

....

Their little meeting got started, and Bucky immediately focused. His mouth slipped open when he saw images of four people that were very familiar to him.

Uhhh....

Bucky thought his heart stopped. He saw Stephen, Clea, Victor, and Donna Strange up on that giant screen.

“I have been contacted by Stephen Strange. He’s run into a situation, and he has actually asked for our help.”

Uhm, what?

Stephen Strange asking S.H.I.E.L.D. for help? Bucky had to laugh, and it was loud. Natasha finally looked in his direction, but she glared.

His pretty skirt was up on that screen, so she thought he would shut up and listen.

“Stephen informed me that his current enemy has some leverage. That leverage happens to be his two siblings, Donna and Victor.”

Fury pointed up at two people that Bucky knew a little too well. His demeanor slowly softened, and he kept staring up at their pictures.

“He’s given me their exact location, and he claims that we will be undetected when we get them.”

Fury was willing to go into details about that if he was asked, but the room kept quiet. S.H.I.E.L.D.’S director increased the image of Clea.

“Clea Strange currently rules the Dark Dimension. We will be entering her territory, and she is certain that our energy will be minimal there. Minimal energy means we can look around without dealing with all the freaky stuff.”

There was always going to be a risk. Fury was aware of that, but he continued informing the room.

Bucky started breathing at a slightly quicker pace. It seemed like something very serious was happening, and it started bringing up some anxiety. 

Where the hell was Tony? Or Steve? He didn’t see their mugshots up on the wall. That part confused him, but he decided to focus.

“Do you all volunteer? This is our first mission into the Dark Dimension. I can’t promise you a safe trip.”

Fury normally had a whole mess of people at meetings like that. He had hundreds of agents to choose from, but Bucky looked around at the relatively small group that he saw.

Clint Barton raised both his hands. He said yes four times. The archer was eager to get off the surveillance gig, and possibly kill something.

Natasha didn’t even need to respond. She was obviously going. Bucky glanced up at Donna’s picture again. The thought of her being used as “leverage” didn’t sit well with Bucky.

He said that he would volunteer, and then he glanced at the other person in the room.

Ezekiel was specifically summoned. He had no combat training, and had logged in a whole ZERO hours out on the field.

Bucky wasn’t sure why he was asked to be there, so he just waited for him to say something.

The guy was super quiet, and it kinda seemed like he was looking up at the pictures. It was hard to tell when he wore that suit.

“Jackal, I think it would be good for you to observe the other three on this mission. Natasha will lead the way, and you can also repair equipment as you go.”

Fury couldn’t wait around for Steve Rogers to train him. The mission was just an extraction, so Fury didn’t expect any road blocks.

If something actually happened out there, then Natasha was the best agent to handle it. She was slick on her feet, and very confident.

Fury knew that she could lead the boys toward their cargo, and protect Ezekiel.

All of that would eliminate the leverage on Stephen Strange, and put the odds back in his favor.

Everyone waited for Ezekiel to speak up. Inside his suit, he was looking up at the picture of Victor Strange.

He actually forgot that Fury spoke to him, because he felt very affected. Ezekiel didn’t think that beautiful person deserved to be used as leverage, and some memories of his old life started coming back.

The White Jackal closed his eyes beneath his suit. He quietly told Fury that he wanted to volunteer, but his suit amplified his voice.

The entire room heard Ezekiel, and Fury started delegating out the plan.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	41. Thunderbird (Part 1)

Chapter Forty-One: Thunderbird (Part 1)

* * *

_... _

_ “You can sleep on this bed, if you want.” _

_... _

Steve got through all of the adolescent flirting at the x-mansion. Tony was the one initiating it, but Stephen was enjoying Tony’s company.

His reactions to Tony’s behavior were clearly subdued.

Stephen’s emotions were restrained, and Steve finally saw his internal struggle with that. The soldier could tell that Stephen always wanted to say something more, or hold onto whatever Tony was making him feel.

It was becoming hard for Steve to watch. He started realizing his own behavior, and how badly Tony was being treated.

Stephen was the only one paying attention, but he was unable to show it. 

Steve was watching Tony in that moment. He went straight to Stephen’s hotel room after the infamous fire alarm incident. Stephen let Tony in, and he said that he could sleep beside him.

The conversation that he watched between them had Steve feeling some serious guilt.

Stephen really liked Tony, and it was painfully obvious. It seemed like Tony was catching onto it at that point. Stephen gently fixed the side of Tony’s hair, and Steve had to close his eyes.

It wasn’t the “Thunderbird” moment that he was looking for, but Steve could tell already that Stephen was probably in love with Tony at that point.

He was very interested, and it felt like he was going to get his subdued heart broken into a million pieces.

Steve thought that the two of them were already together when they all first met. Steve felt that way early on, because they seemed very comfortable around one another.

Now, he opened his eyes and he saw them in the quiet hotel room. They both were trying to sleep, but so much was going on in their heads.

Steve told himself that he needed to take a break. He brought his hands up to his eyes, and he softly sighed. The soldier turned away from his research, and he stared off in the opposite direction.

That somber memory started fading away behind Steve, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue looking. He remembered what happened the morning after Bucky set off the alarm.

Tony went back to him. He always found his way back to Steve, and it was the first time the soldier felt guilty about it.

He glanced at the top of the file and continued to contemplate what he saw. It felt like it was just the tip of the iceberg, and the rest of the road was rocky and sad.

Steve continued to slowly rub at a pain that was showing up in is left eye. The pain he felt was from all the contemplation.

“You could have asked. I don’t think you’ve ever tried doing that.”

Stephen wasn’t sure. He couldn’t remember Steve ever asking him how he felt about Tony, but it could have slipped his mind.

Steve looked up toward the top of the file again. Stephen was floating down toward him, and the soldier almost smiled.

... almost.

“Would you actually tell me, Stephen? You’re very good at hiding it.”

He was too good at hiding it. His emotions being subdued back in the day did the trick, but Steve knew that issue had been corrected. Stephen’s emotions were completely his, and the soldier knew that he was still hiding how he felt.

The Sorcerer Supreme had so much on his mind in that moment, but he forced himself to currently focus on only one thing.

Making things right with Steve Rogers was his only agenda in that moment, so he softly sighed and thought about his response.

“Yes. I am prepared to tell you what you want to know.”

“Should I actually trust your answer?”

That really was the question of the day. Steve didn’t know what was going on outside that file, but he did know that Stephen had every reason to hate him.

He really was a “fairytale prince”. Steve just lived in bliss and played house with his unruly brunette. He finally saw how badly Stephen was struggling, so the nickname that he gave him made sense.

“Steve, you can trust my answer today. It would have been a different story a few years ago..”

Stephen calculated that he was going to be put on trial for six crimes. Lying for centuries about Tony was the first crime, and the only person he wanted to talk to about that was Steve.

So, there he was. Stephen was ready to talk about it, and possibly put it all to rest.

Then, he had five more crimes to own up to, and he needed Steve to be there with him when that happened.

The soldier finally stopped all that pesky contemplating. He gave a short sigh and he looked up at Stephen. The sorcerer was floatingdown toward him.

They stood toe-to-toe, and Steve asked his first question.

“What does Thunderbird mean?”

“A Thunderbird is a mythological creature that is usually associated with tribes in-”

“NO. Don’t ... that’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

Steve was not in the mood for Stephen’s clever shit. They had a similar conversation over sandwichezzz.....

Steve’s beautiful blue eyes began to sharpen, and Stephen let out a playful laugh. He didn’t want to talk about the damn Thunderbird, thing...

The sorcerer slowly shook his head, and he tried his response again.

“It’s from a poem. My older self recited part of a poem to me, and it took me a long time to realize what it meant.”

His older self was trying to warn him, but Stephen fell for it all anyway. Steve Rogers brought those hands up, and he firmly placed them on his hips.

“What. Poem. Stephen.”

They were already starting the conversation off with some wonderful guessing games, so Steve Rogers tried to remain calm. 

He was about to flip his lid if Stephen tried to act dumb or something.

.........

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	42. Thunderbird (Part 2)

Chapter Forty-Two: Thunderbird (Part 2)

* * *

  
Bucky, Natasha, Clint, and Ezekiel were taken to a lab. In that lab they were introduced to a small team of people.

Ezekiel was in his suit, and that was expected. His S.H.I.E.L.D. identity was that suit.

He was only called the “White Jackal” out in the open. The people constantly watching Ezekiel had to know what he looked like, and naturally, his real name got tossed around.

Why does this matter? 

Ezekiel was brought into a room, and he looked directly at Howard Stark. A river of emotions ran through Ezekiel when he saw Tony’s father.

His own father betrayed him, and Ezekiel was glad that he wasn’t showing his face. The Jackal felt like his horrible father would haunt him forever.

Howard Stark was working with a man named Hank Pym. They were introduced to the group by Phil Coulson, but it was awkward. 

They were arguing about something. The group kept quiet, but Ezekiel kept looking in Howard’s direction.

“They don’t have ghosts in the Dark Dimension, Pym. It’s not like the Addam’s Family.”

Howard wasn’t an expert on the Dark Dimension, but he knew that it wasn’t haunted or “spooky”. 

“That just shows how little you know, Howard. Now, let’s see who we’ve got....”

The man named Hank settled his conversation with Tony’s father. He got the last word in, then he looked over at the small group. They had some gear for them all to put on, and the inventor of Pym Particles looked directly at Ezekiel’s suit.

Howard glanced up at it as well. He was told that Obidiah’s son was currently inside it. Before all that, Howard  had no idea that Obidiah had a child. His kid was completely off the grid.

That information was brought to his attention after Ezekiel’s arrest. The suit was interesting, and Howard had a few questions about it.

He just wasn’t sure about speaking to the spawn of Satan...

Howard needed to think on that. He informed the group that they made some gear for them. He let Natasha know that she could try hers on first.

Howard completely ignored Ezekiel, but Hank Pym walked toward him.

“Do you name your suits? I’ve been told that you’ve made three.”

He was happy to speak to the “Jackal”. Hank Pym didn’t give a damn about who his father was. The young man inside it designed a suit, and the thing was moving around and functioning right there in front of his eyes.

He could put him to work immediately, but S.H.I.E.L.D. got to him first.

“I call my suits, Zephyr.”

Ezekiel did give his suit a name. He was surprised to receive a question, but glad for it. Hank Pym listened to Ezekiel’s answer and he smiled. His voice was altered, but that didn’t matter.

“Interesting name. Ok, let’s get you guys all dressed up. Bucky Barnes? This one here is for you.”

Hank pointed at some tech that was made specifically for Bucky. The not-so-winter-soldier looked it over, and he stepped up to the plate.

Hank began his explanation of the tech, while Howard Stark focused on Clint Barton.

Ezekiel waited patiently for everyone, and he thought about saying something to Howard. He did idolize him, in a sense. Reflecting in that moment made Ezekiel feel uncomfortable. 

“We’re going to head out soon. I want you to stay by me. We will get Victor Strange, and the other two will focus on Donna.”

Bucky could get his pretty little skirt. Natasha rolled her eyes and brushed off her own thought. She was the person speaking, and she was giving Ezekiel the brief version of her plan.

The Jackal didn’t say anything back to her, so she tried to look into the eyes of that white suit.

“Did you hear me?”

“Yes. I will stay by you.”

He felt nervous, but not because they were heading into some Dark Dimension. The Jackal felt nervous because he would be seeing Victor again.

He told himself that he wasn’t normal. Ezekiel knew that he had to stay in his suit, and that wasn’t normal at all.

Victor Strange seemed ...normal, and very friendly.

He remembered how playful he was when they met. Natasha slowly looked behind her, and she started telling Ezekiel that it was time to go. 

The Jackal quickly looked up from his thought, and he slowly followed after the others.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	43. Thunderbird (Part 3)

Chapter Forty-Three: Thunderbird (Part 3)

* * *

...

...

  
Tony trapped a rat. 

...

It was a big one, and he found him circling around back toward Clea. Tony wondered if the rat he caught actually had the ability to overpower Stephen’s little Tinker-bell.

He didn’t ask. Tony just kept him in the cage that he made with his tech, and he waited for the others to join him.

The man identified himself to Tony, and he explained what he was doing. Tony heard him, but he didn’t respond. Baron Mordo didn’t mean anything to the brunette, but what he was doing held some weight.

Tony kept staring toward his left. He saw the Power Stone and the Reality Stone traveling in his direction.

Clea and Thor were closing in. Tony kept quiet, and he waited for them. He could feel the fraternal twins off in the distance. Steve and Stephen weren’t moving, but it didn’t alter Tony’s mood.

He wasn’t in a hurry, and he understood what was happening.

The brunette brought his focus back to Baron Mordo. The man kept repeating the same shit over and over. He was acting on the behalf of the Mystic Arts, the bill always comes due, and Stephen Strange was an abomination.

The Sorcerer Supreme “broke the sacred rules” and he was going to be punished.

Cool story, bro. Tony didn’t care about any of that. His role in the situation was completely different. The details behind it started making sense, but the timing of everything was off.

Tony started mapping everything out in his head, because he finally understood what the Mind Stone wanted him to do.

You see, Baron Mordo tried to undermine Stephen, so a spell on Clea was cancelled out. That cancelled spell meant that their little Starchild was on the way.

Tony figured that they didn’t know, and that was fine.

He understood that he already maneuvered the Infinity Stones, and the situation was causing them all to line up.

In that moment, Tony remembered a man named Phil Coulson. He was at the Seagate Penitentiary and he mentioned that Nick Fury was called away.

He was needed in New Mexico. Tony inwardly knew in that moment that Thor was finally joining the mix.

Groovy.

Ok. Let’s keep going. Tony closed his eyes, and he felt two of the Infinity Gems approach. Clea and Thor found their way to Tony, and they both looked at the rat that was caught in his trap.

They both asked him questions, but Tony didn’t respond. He kept to himself, and waited for Stephen S, and Steven R to finish up their lovelylittle chat.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	44. Thunderbird (Part 4)

Chapter Forty-Four: Thunderbird (Part 4)

* * *

...

"I should have loved a thunderbird, instead.”

Stephen started telling Steve the end of the Plath poem that he heard from his older self. Steve was ready to hear it, but moody about it.

“At least, when spring comes, they roar back again.”

His arms were crossed up toward his chest. Steve seemed impatient, and just ready to clear up what Stephen felt.

Steve Rogers was listening, but he made sure to tell Stephen that he was tired of being lied to.

“I shut my eyes, and all the world drops dead.”

He never planned to lie to Steve. Stephen just felt like he was never actually asked. The Sorcerer Supreme was having a difficult time with what he felt, because he never said the poem out loud, or told anyone about the poem. 

Clea knew about Tony, but not to that extent. He continued with the final line, and he watched those arms slightly ease up.

“...I think I made you up, inside my head."

Stephen looked down toward the floor of the file. His Thunderbird file was a swirling mix of orange, yellow, and red. The area around them looked warm, because that is what Tony was.

Steve processed that poem and he decided not to ask for a personal translation. He understood it in too many ways.

The question he had for Stephen came to him, but he kept thinking about the poem for a short while.

“When did you name this file Thunderbird?”

“After Howard told us about the two different shields. I started looking into the Mind Stone more, and I observed Tony from a different perspective.”

Stephen came to realize so much more about him. His obsession with the Mind Stone really became an unearthed obsession with Tony.

“The poem returned to me while I was researching him, and I inwardly created the file. I decided to disguise it, and keep everything in it to myself.”

Apparently, his disguise couldn’t hide from Steve Rogers. They both wanted the same exact thing back in the day.

They all used to live and train in Kathmandu, and they both wanted to take Tony Stark out on a date.

That was just kid stuff now, but only one of them got to actually have that date.

Stephen was looking directly at him, and he smiled.

“Are you still debating if you can trust me?”

Steve heard the question, but he decided not to answer right away. All he really wanted to say was how much he understood Stephen in that moment.

He understood why Stephen named the file Thunderbird, and knew exactly why he wanted to hide it. Steve also accepted what he was hearing, but he wasn’t really ready to speak.

“I can’t guarantee that I won’t flirt around with him or try to take him whenever he’s around. He just brings it out, and it can’t be helped. So, sorry in advance.”

Stephen truly didn’t do it on purpose. He saw his own behavior as a hopeless moth idiotically fluttering around a burning hot flame. 

That’s what Tony was... a burning hot flame. Steve also understood the apology that was currently floating around in Stephen’s head.

They were in his mind, and currently standing within one of his secret files. Steve could feel and hear everything in there, and he was taking it all in.

“Clea finds it, amusing. She actually trusts me more than you do.”

Stephen had to softly laugh. His wife teased him about Tony every now and then. The sorcerer waited patiently for Steve to speak up. Since he wasn’t responding, Stephen decided to keep his confession going.

“I guess, you shouldn’t trust me with Tony because tomorrow is never guaranteed. I’ve seen versions of him that were gone in a snap, so I like to enjoy him while he is here.”

Snap. No more Tony. Gone. The warmth permanently snuffed out. 

Stephen saw it happen as he looked into millions of other versions of Tony Stark. He watched him manipulate the Infinity Stones, then die with a sudden snap.

That fate was slowly changing in some circles, and it all correlated with the actions that were done with Tony’s older self.

Steve seemed very affected by what Stephen said to him. He knew that there really was no promise of a tomorrow, and that he could lose Tony in that moment.

Thinking like that made Steve tense up a little. He brought his hand up toward his left eye and he tried to rub out all that contemplation.

Steve still wasn’t talking, so Stephen kept going.

“Something is going to happen today, Steve. A balance will be forced, and I am going to lose something.”

Now, Stephen was the one that started looking affected. Steve brought his focus up to his friend. He understood Stephen in that moment more than he ever had, and Steve wasn’t mad at him.

He accepted the information, but now what he heard made him stop.

“I selfishly benefited from magic, so something will be taken from me today. I’m either going to lose my sister, my entire family, or my own life... so...”

Stephen Strange stared at Steve. He was inwardly pleading for him to really listen. If he lived another day, than he was probably going to put the moves on Tony Stark, and try to take him.

Sorry, but that’s how it was going to be.

Stephen needed Steve to grasp that, and hear him, because Stephen felt like he was breaking again. He got so bad once before.

“I need you to just, be there today. I need you there for Clea, or for me. If I lose my siblings, I won’t make it today Steve. I’m not going to make it if I’m the one that is still standing.”

You know? Do you really get me?

Stephen was dying right there in that moment. He just needed Steve to see. The Sorcerer Supreme looked like he was about to cry, and Steve just kept staring.

The soldier told him that he understood. Steve told him that he could see.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	45. Thunderbird ((Part 5)

Chapter Forty-Five: Thunderbird (Part 5)

* * *

The Dark Dimension was trippy. Bucky couldn’t think of the proper word for it, but he knew the word was for fancy art people.

Steve would know the word, but he wasn’t there at the moment.

Natasha led the crew into an entirely different dimension. S.H.I.E.L.D. was technically allowed in only because they had “friends in high places”.

Clea and Stephen Strange let them enter through a portal. When they entered the dimension, someone spooky was waiting for them.

His name was Paradox, and he was scary. Clea and Stephen sent him there to make sure they were safe.

Stephen left no stone unturned, so the small crew carved their way through the dimension.

Paradox just floated out in the open. He paralleled their journey, and kept looking around for any possible threat.

Surreal. That fancy art word finally hit Bucky’s mind, and he almost said it out loud. They were climbing over some surreal looking space rocks, when that artistic epiphany hit Bucky’s brain.

He was at the tail end of the pack. The not-so-winter-soldier watched the crew move up ahead, and he glanced over at Paradox for just a moment.

It had a cloak like Stephen, but Bucky couldn’t see a face. He started thinking that it actually was Stephen, but it looked like some sort of dark disguise.

Bucky’s thoughts on that subsided because they reached the coordinates that were provided.

Ezekiel, Natasha, Clint, and Bucky used all their strength to move a “surreal” chunk of space rock off of a giant pit.

The four of them peered down into the dark cavern, and they saw two poor souls. Victor and Donna were bleach white. Bucky could see that they were holding hands, but they looked like ghosts.

Stolen. Drained. But, not dead.

Natasha gave the crew some direction, and Ezekiel made the first move. He slowly crouched down and he brought the top half of his suit deep into that stash pit.

He touched Victor Strange very gently, but it made him gasp beneath the suit. The Jackal pulled the youngest one out, and he secured Victor over his shoulder.

Bucky dropped down next. He picked Donna up quickly, and climbed back up to the top. Her arms were draped over Bucky’s shoulders, and Natasha made sure she wouldn’t fall.

Stephen’s siblings were being carried away from a dark spell, so their bodies were slowly waking up.

Bucky felt Donna’s arms gently move over his shoulders. He glanced at one of her hands as they started making their way back.

Victor managed to lift his eyes open for just a moment. He saw something white beneath him, and he noticed that he was being carried.

Confusion swirled around and overpowered him, so the youngest Strange slipped back into a deep sleep.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	46. Thunderbird (Part 6)

Chapter Forty-Six: Thunderbird (Part 6)

* * *

Stephen and Steve finally joined their crew. Thor was a new face, and so was Baron Mordo.

Stephen had never seen him in person. He was only informed that the other sorcerer resented him. 

His enemy was stuck in a trap, and Tony was being oddly quiet. Stephen kept looking at the technology that surrounded Mordo, and he almost said something.

Clea stepped toward her husband, and she slipped her hand against his. Their fingers laced together, and Stephen quickly looked down at their hands.

They both weren’t normally affectionate around other people. It surprised Stephen. Clea was doing it on purpose. She even held a small smile, and she pressed her forehead against Stephen’s shoulder.

That was how she decided to answer every single question that Thor threw in her direction. Clea Strange decided to finally show him that she was spoken for.

The colossal blonde gave a defeated sigh, and he gently laughed. His heart was broken, because he thought Clea was beautiful.

Stephen glanced down at her hair, then those sharp eyes relocated toward Thor Odinson.

“Hello. I’m happy to finally meet you. I’ve heard so many stories.”

The giant blonde held a playful grin. He tried to seem as charming as possible, while Stephen glanced back over at his wife.

Hmmmmmm....... the Sorcerer Supreme decided to put a pin on that interesting subject, and strictly focus on the elephant in the room.

A quiet elephant needed to be addressed first. He kept holding Clea’s hand, and he directed his entire focus toward Tony Stark.

“Vision?”

Stephen decided to go ahead and gamble. Tony’s noise was currently non-existent, and he didn’t even look in Steve’s direction when they showed up.

Tony’s head turned in Stephen’s direction, but the sorcerer figured he was communicating with the Mind Stone. Was he finally talking toVision?

Was he? Stephen stared at Tony’s little smirk, so he kept going.

“You may release Mordo now. I think I know what he intends to do.”

Baron Mordo was really only there to gloat. Stephen was ready to pay for his crimes. It was actually inevitable, so the sorcerer didn’t want to draw it out. “Tony” took a small step back, and he released the rat from his trap.

His technology returned to his body, and he finally looked in Steve’s direction. The soldier looked...

...

He was staring at Tony. 

...

That... 

...

That “Thunderbird” was on his mind. Steve felt very conflicted as he looked at him. Everything he heard about Tony was still registering in his head.

Stephen Strange was going to be punished for being supposedly selfish? Steve really didn’t agree. He felt like he was the selfish one right there in that moment. Do we know why?

His big selfish heart was thinking that he’d never really get to be alone with Tony. He was a Thunderbird for one person, and who knew what he was for everyone else.

Steve was in an odd place about it, and he tried not to stare. He looked away just as Tony stepped even further from Mordo.

The brunette started standing by Thor. He looked in Steve’s direction one more time before the other sorcerer decided to speak.

Mordo informed the small group that he was there to personally escort Stephen to something called the Living Tribunal, and that he wanted Stephen to suffer.

His “crimes” were disreputable, and Mordo basically wanted him to die.

Tony was following, but he was getting tired of Mordo’s one-tone voice. He went on and on about the disgrace Stephen had brought to the legacy of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Tony almost laughed. Hoo hoo... he looked over at all the others. They were just nodding along like Mordo was some ranting, bitter fuck grandpa.

He started looking over at Steve Rogers again. The summer boy was looking a little blue.

Tony’s ears perked up slightly. He focused again when the hater sorcerer mentioned an important element to his grand scheme.

Baron Mordo made it clear to everyone that Stephen was either going to lose his life, his title, his sister, or his unborn child. The balance would be made, and there was nothing that Stephen could do.

That shit was bitter, and biblical. Tony thought about how the other sorcerer was clearly out for blood, while Stephen became a little more than confused. The unborn child thing completely threw him off.

Uhhh...

He slowly glanced at Clea. She was still holding his hand, but she became confused as well. She looked up at Stephen, but then she abruptly spoke to Mordo.

“We’re not having a child.”

Having a child was impossible, unless they felt ready. Clea suppressed any propagation between them by using a spell.

Mordo simply smiled when he looked over at the Sorceress Supreme. Clea started feeling nervous. She swallowed several times, and a very uneasy feeling washed over her when she listened to Mordo’s response.

He actually said that a stronger person eliminated her spell, but Clea checked out of the chat...

They truly wanted to hit Stephen where it would hurt, so  why stop with his siblings?

Clea just maintained a blank stare. A terrible person filled her mind in that moment. Clea’s mother was the only one that would do something that wicked.

Her mother’s name was Umar, and she hated her only daughter. Clea’s heart was telling her that Umar eliminated the spell, because she wanted Clea to suffer with Stephen.

Mordo asked Stephen if he was ready. The Sorcerer Supreme was still studying the distant look on Clea’s face, and wondering if she was actually carrying his child. 

The gravity of the situation was getting pretty thick, but Stephen told him to just shut up and lead the way.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	47. Thunderbird (Part 7)

Chapter Forty-Seven: Thunderbird (Part 7)

* * *

Victor Strange woke up in a very comfortable bed. He ran his arms all over the super clean sheets, and he struggled for a moment to open his eyes.

Victor was very confused. He looked around the room he was in, and he noticed a pile of clothes on a small dresser.

They were folded neatly, and stacked all...

...nice.

How bizarre. Victor didn’t recognize his surroundings at all. He rolled around on the bed for while, until he heard a voice.

Victor was freaked out for half a second. He kept staring at the door to the super clean room, and he listened for the voice again.

The voice belonged to Clint Barton. He was in the safe house with Bucky Barnes, and they were waiting for Donna and Victor to wake up.

Bucky made sure the safe house was stocked with video games for Victor, and a bunch of food. They were informed that they were going to be there for a while.

Stephen Strange wanted S.H.I.E.L.D. to stay with his siblings until his situation was sorted out. That is what Natasha told her crew, but she knew the full story.

Nick Fury told her that Stephen specifically wanted Bucky to be there for his brother and sister. He said that he was the only agent that they would be comfortable with, and one of the only ones that he could trust.

Natasha thought about that as she remained outside the safe house. She was monitoring the perimeter and teaching Ezekiel how it was done.

He didn’t want to be inside his own safe house for some reason, but Natasha didn’t ask.

The White Jackal was perched up in Bucky’s location. He was looking into his own safe house, and it felt like the filtered air in his suit suddenly disappeared.

He saw Victor emerge from his bedroom, and he went straight to Bucky Barnes. It made Ezekiel nervous. He wasn’t sure how to be around him, so he asked if he could be stationed outside.

Natasha was experiencing something similar. She was looking into the safe house with her tech, and she noticed a change in Bucky right away.

He had a certain softness to him when Victor approached. Natasha couldn’t seem to change the current feed on her tech. She kept her focus on Bucky. A very dangerous word hit her mind as she watched him explain what he knew to Victor.

Natasha thought that Bucky looked very handsome in that moment, but she forced the dangerous thought out of her mind.

Bucky told Victor that his brother sent them all in, and that they just needed to relax and wait for Stephen.

That explanation was accepted by Victor, but it clearly wasn’t taken by his older sister. Donna Strange emerged from another room. She had questions, while Victor just went with the flow. They had pizza and video games there, so he was good.

Donna walked up to Bucky, and Natasha watched that softness continue. She thought that his pretty skirt was exactly that. Donna Strange was very beautiful.

Her clothes were lovely, and she looked like she could model perfume. Natasha’s eyes rolled all on their own when she watched her talk to Bucky.

Her tune changed completely when Clint Barton introduced Victor to the video games. Those two hit it off right away, and they left Donna and Bucky all alone in the kitchen.

Donna’s demeanor altered when they were alone. Her communication, and body language with him changed completely. She stepped very close to Bucky and asked him for some more truth to the situation.

Bucky was very different around her as well. He seemed very reeled in. He touched her arms and the front of her fancy jacket. Then, he told her that he didn’t know jack shit, and that Stephen would handle his side of the mess.

Bucky could not stop touching her. Natasha watched him touch that pretty little skirt. They were even leaning in all close. The situation forced some communication between them, and their breakup with still a new thing.

They weren’t used to being separated, and Bucky admitted that he actually hated it.

Natasha watched her call him “James” and explain some crap about moving out. It seemed like they were about to embrace, or hook-up. They were getting way too close, so the Black Widow asked for a secondary patrol team to watch the perimeter of the house.

Donna gave Bucky an adorable little kiss, so Natasha told Ezekiel that they were heading in. “Bucky” Barnes was supposed to be working, not fawning all over his pretty little skirt.

Natasha told Ezekiel to move in again. He was hesitating with the direction that he was given, so he did not respond. 

He was watching Victor interact with Barton. He watched him laugh a few times, and the thought of being around him became very intimidating.

Ezekiel slowly looked over at Natasha, and he reluctantly complied.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	48. Thunderbird (Part 8)

Chapter Forty-Eight: Thunderbird (Part 8)

* * *

  
The Living Tribunal was gigantic. Steve was staring up at it, and he wanted to sketch everything that he saw. It had three faces, possibly four, and Steve thought they were going to get stepped on when he first saw it.

Everyone was facing the Tribunal, except Tony.

Steve kept looking over at him. His back was toward the Tribunal, and Steve didn’t understand. The situation with Stephen was the main focus, so Steve couldn’t talk to him.

He stared at Tony once again, because Baron Mordo started making his case against Stephen.

He told that cosmic giant that an ally of his looked into the behavior of the Sorcerer Supreme, and his wife. They had him imprisoned in other dimensions on false charges.

He told the Tribunal that both Clea and Stephen were arrogant, selfish with their magic, and causing an imbalance for the Mystic Arts.

Thor was wondering what he had gotten himself into. He started looking around at the group of people. Mordo continued throwing Stephen and Clea under the bus, while the colossal blonde scratched one side of his head.

Stephen was listening into Mordo. He didn’t perceive his behavior as arrogant, but the man was very determined to make himself heard. Stephen looked over at Clea. She still had a distant expression on her face.

The sorcerer wanted to just leave with her. He only wanted to have a moment...

That moment wasn’t going to happen because the Tribunal said that he had heard enough. His face changed a few times. It seemed like he was making some sort of decision.

Stephen heard the Tribunal ask him if he was guilty. Was he guilty of everything that his accuser told him.

Was he arrogant and selfish with his magic? Did he alter the death of Donna Strange? Did he alter the reality of Victor Strange, Beverly Strange, and Eugene Strange in order to avoid their upcoming deaths?

Stephen slowly closed his eyes, and he told the Tribunal that he was guilty. Guilty on all counts, actually. Five crimes.

The Tribunal had the ability to actually see the accusations. His job was to maintain the power balance, and correct discrepancies that had been described. The faces kept changing, and the Tribunal started focusing on the sorcerer’s wife.

She was guilty of being selfish with her magic. There was an unspoken arrogance to Clea, and he felt like they both needed to be put in check.

The faces stopped moving, and it settled on the only one that could speak.

“Five crimes amounts to five years. You two will lose your ability to manipulate magic until your sentence is complete.”

Stephen’s cloak dropped down from his shoulders. He was suddenly unable to feel any energy from his amulet, and his body felt different.

Clea felt a number of things. She glanced at her hands first, but then she looked back up at the Tribunal.

“You also will not spread this selfishness, or arrogance. The unborn with stay with me, until your sentence is complete.”

Clea heard that, and she stopped staring at her hands. Something left her body right in that moment, and all she could feel after that was a deep void.

She felt, nothing. Clea looked down at her waist and tried to process what she felt. The sudden void really overwhelmed her. Her powers were gone, and her body felt empty.

Stephen never saw Clea cry before. She started crying very softly, and he immediately turned toward her.

Tony still had his back toward the Tribunal. He was looking at the small group, and soaking in the terrible scene. Stephen and Clea were stripped of their powers, and they lost someone that Tony saw all the time.

He wasn’t completely aware of it, but he knew what he had to do for them. Tony finally looked over at Steve. That golden thing looked devastated.

It was a sad situation for their friends. Stephen and Clea were going to be “normal” for five long years. 

“I will be staying with your little Starchild, so...don’t worry.”

Tony already knew what the outcome was going to be. Did they think that the Living Tribunal was going to actually raise her? No way.

Steve stopped staring at Clea and Stephen. He slowly changed his focus back to Tony. I’m sorry...

“What?...”

...

He obviously misheard Tony. Steve became very confused. He kept looking at the person that he lived with. The person he, eloped with.

“What are you talking about?”

Steve spoke again. Tony just looked up at the Tribunal, and then he turned his attention back toward Steve. That blonde looked beautiful.

“Do you think he’s going to be reading bedtime stories to their little Starchild?”

Tony pointed at the giant thing behind him. His smile had Steve even more confused. 

The judgement was done. Stephen didn’t lose his life, or his sister. But, he lost his daughter, and his powers. Stephen and Clea Strange had some hard lessons to learn.

Tony was just doing what his mind was telling him to do. The judgement was done, so the brunette disappeared with the Tribunal.

Steve, Thor, Stephen, and Clea stood in disbelief because suddenly they were back at the Sanctorum. The meditation room returned around them, but everyone remained silent.

Steve couldn’t believe it. He was blinking where he stood, but the soldier could hardly move. Tony was, gone? 

Hold on.. 

Steve swallowed again, and he glanced over at Stephen. The sorcerer was focused on Clea, but he tried to comprehend what Tony said. She had her face covered with her hands, because something very serious was taken from her.

For five years? Clea felt denied something that she wanted to experience. She didn’t feel ready in that moment, but she did want to have Stephen’s child at some point in the future.

That experience was taken, so she couldn’t stop crying. Baron Mordo was gone. Wong was asking questions, and Thor was getting pretty emotional. Steve just kept staring at the floor.

Tony was gone, in a snap. Steve was completely blindsided. The soldier couldn’t speak.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	49. Thunderbird (Part 9)

Chapter Forty-Nine: Thunderbird (Part 9)

* * *

Donna Strange was still talking to James. She didn’t plan on playing any video games while she was in the safe house, and the two of them needed to talk.

She asked him if he spoke to Steve. Bucky told her that he didn’t. He got busy.

Donna looked down at his hand, because he was casually touching her copper colored skirt. That hand would “accidentally” brush up on her leg as well, but Donna let it slide.

“I don’t want to move back in. I found a nice place with a co-worker.”

Ah. Bucky was bummed to hear that. He stared at her fancy necklace for a short while, but then Donna stepped a little closer.

“I could still stay over tho, sometimes. If.. uhm, I’m thinking about it.”

She didn’t feel very “done” with James in that moment. Donna was very attracted to him, but she never intended to marry the guy. Bucky heard that, and a slow smirk started forming on his face.

“That’s, whatever you wanna do works for me.”

He was doing things on her terms. Bucky wanted her to stay, but she was clearly thinking in another direction.

Bucky Barnes really was a simple guy. If Donna wanted to stay over, then the door was always open. He saw her smile and he thought about kissing her. She was probably thinking the same thing, because Donna started going for it.

“Agent Barnes? We need to talk. Now. Outside.”

Natasha Romanoff officially entered the safe house. She watched Donna back away from Bucky. The two women met eye-to-eye, but Natasha barely held the contact.

Ezekiel entered after her and Donna stared at his white suit. It looked like a robot just up and walked through the kitchen. Ezekiel stopped moving just outside the living room.

He could see the video games being played toward his left, and the domestic scene in the kitchen toward his right.

Donna turned back toward the only woman on their team. She stared at Natasha, and asked her for her name.

“Agent Romanoff. Barnes, let’s go.”

She needed to have a chat with Romeo before he took his pretty skirt into one of the rooms in the safe house.

It felt like it was heading in that direction, and it was unacceptable. Bucky gave an exhausted sigh, and he simply followed after Natasha.

Donna watched them walk out back..

And...

...

She didn’t know what to think. Donna thought about following, but she refrained. The sister left the kitchen, and she looked over at that robot thing again.

Donna said nothing to it. She just walked into the living room, and she sat down on the couch beside her brother.

“Check out the spy bot.”

Donna nudged her brother, and Victor looked over his shoulder. He saw Ezekiel’s suit, and he pressed pause on the game.

“AY! I was winningg.”

Clint Barton’s voice could get pretty loud. Ezekiel thought of that as he stared off at a brown couch. Victor actually stood up, and he kept his focus locked on RoboCop.

Trippy.

“Are you real? Android or human?”

Victor remembered being carried by it. He thought Ezekiel’s suit was the coolest thing, so he climbed onto the couch to get a better look.

The “Jackal” heard Victor’s voice. He froze up in his suit, and he stared at his face.

“He’s probably not going to talk to you. He is a special type of agent. He’s called the White Jackal.”

Clint Barton decided to help him out. He knew that Nick Fury wanted him to be a pretty classified agent. He didn’t know how Ezekiel was supposed to identify with civilians, so he tried to help as best he could.

White Jackal? Ok. Victor thought that he was just a robot then. He ditched the game and climbed over that couch. Victor stood in front of Ezekiel, and he looked him over.

“Does it shoot laser beams?”

Victor directed his question toward Clint. The archer gave a playful laugh and he said he wasn’t sure. Ezekiel began to dislike how Victor was viewing his suit.

An anxiety was keeping him from speaking, but he wanted to answer his questions. Clint Barton was getting all the attention, and Ezekiel wanted to talk about his own invention. It. Was. His.

“This model is not weaponized. I use this one for daily movement.”

HO SHIT. Victor almost hit the floor. The robot spoke to him, and it scared the baby Strange. He laughed it off tho, and smiled up toward the face of the machine.

“I’m not sure if I want it to be a walking weapon.”

Ezekiel shared something else about his suit, but he kept looking at Victor’s smile. It felt like he was getting inspected, so he looked him over and returned the notion.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	50. Thunderbird (Part 10)

Chapter Fifty: Thunderbird (Part 10)

* * *

Stephen felt completely destroyed. Obliterated was probably a better word, but the demoted sorcerer could barely think.

He picked the lifeless Cloak of Levitation up off the floor, and he gently wrapped it around Clea.

She was hardly coherent, and tears were still slipping down her face. Stephen just held her, and he listened to Thor’s explanation of what he witnessed.

Someone had to tell Wong something, but the bulk of the crew remained silent. Steve was still in disbelief.

He had a feeling in the pit of his soul that something was going on with Tony. He wasn’t his normal self, and Steve was unable to speak to him. Now, it was too late.

“I believe this matter will be corrected in five years. They will be without their powers, all that time.”

Thor finished explaining, and Wong looked like he was just slapped in the face. Without Clea, and the Sorcerer Supreme, then the bridge between their dimensions was under threat.

Wong made that very clear to everyone in the room, but only one of them was listening.

Thor felt bad for all of them, but he was still an outside party. He was in the right mindset, and willing to talk to Wong about the issue.

“I will help however I can.”

Wong thanked him, and he looked over at Steve Rogers. His powers were not temporarily absorbed, so he could help. Wong kept staring, but Steve was not in the mood to take the bait.

“Do you two need to go somewhere? I can take you, if you want to go home.”

Steve kept staring at Clea. She looked completely devastated, and broken. He had never seen her look like that, and it was hurting Steve’s busted up soul.

She just kept her face hidden against Stephen’s chest. Clea actually didn’t listen to anyone. Stephen responded after a little while.

“I’m not sure, Steve.”

He didn’t know about going home. Their lives weren’t really like “normal” people. Stephen couldn’t hear any of Wong’s noise, because he brought up contacting the Ancient One.

“You two could head to Santa Monica, with me. I think the ocean will be good for Clea.”

Steve felt like Wong was on a completely different planet. They were in the same exact room, but not in the same situation.

Steve only cared about helping Stephen and Clea. He needed to process Tony being gone, so the Santa Monica house felt like the best place.

Stephen looked away from Clea’s hair, and he started nodding his head. Santa Monica felt like a good place for them to hide.

He mentioned that he needed to talk to his siblings, but he wasn’t sure when.

Steve said he would handle it, but he wanted to get them out of New York. He formed a portal, and took them out of the Sanctorum.

Steve told himself that he needed to keep busy, because he was pretty close to losing it.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	51. I Could Have Lied (Part 1)

Chapter Fifty-One: I Could Have Lied (Part 1)

* * *

Donna was watching Clint resume that stupid video game. Victor was asking a robot a bunch of questions, and James was still outside with “Agent Romanoff”.

Donna wasn’t sure how long they were out there, but it felt like an eternity.

She looked over at her brother. Victor was asking that “Jackal” something random, so Donna decided to tune in.

“Can you remove it? Like Tony Stark?”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you? I’d like to see you.”

...

Ezekiel froze. He wasn’t sure if he could reveal himself. He needed to have a conversation about that with Nick Fury. He kept staring at Victor, and then he looked around the room for someone superior.

Phil Coulson was off for the night, and Natasha was outside. That left Ezekiel with the only answer that he knew.

“I don’t think I can.”

Whut? Victor became very confused. Did he not control his own body? He saw the Jackal look all around the room before he answered. It puzzled the youngest Strange, but he kept his questions going.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty.”

“Where were you born?”

“..I’m not sure.”

WHA?? Victor had to laugh at that. How could a person not know where they were born? He became puzzled again, so he looked over at Donna.

“Ok. Where did you grow up?”

...

Ezekiel wasn’t sure. He understood that he wasn’t normal. He didn’t have a normal upbringing, but his father did not keep him in a cave.

Ezekiel had strict schooling, and he was moved around all the time. His father always had a location for him, and a workspace.

Ezekiel never really knew where he was, but one location rang a bell.

“I remember being homeschooled  in France. I think my mother still lives there.”

He revealed a small detail, but then, he started feeling nervous. Ezekiel was aware that they were being recorded, so he backed up a little bit.

Victor was unable to see his hesitation, because he was inside that suit.

“Do you speak French?”

“Yes.”

The Jackal took in a slow breath, because another question was fired in his direction. He was glad that he was finally speaking to Victor, but the last question made his body tense up.

“Why do you work for S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

Victor’s question caused a stir of some sort all over Ezekiel’s body. He stared at him within the suit, and gave him a similar response.

“..I’m not sure.”

That answer really puzzled Victor. How could a person not know why they worked for a place? The youngest sibling kept staring at the suit, and a million more questions filled his mind.

He wanted to ask him his real name, or, ask him to remove the suit again. Victor wanted to know a whole bunch of things, and he started thinking that he was annoying him.

Ezekiel wanted to be asked questions. He wanted to speak to Victor, and he wanted to remove his suit. It was something that he had to overcome, but in that moment he lost the battle.

“I’m training to be a field agent. But, right now... I am mainly an informant.”

Clint Barton looked away from his video game. He thought that Ezekiel was becoming quite the chatterbox. It was random, but the archer didn’t mind.

He wanted more pizza, and he wondered what was going on with Bucky and Nat. The archer quickly grabbed another piece of pizza, and he said that he was going to go snooping.

Donna Strange heard that, and she sat up on that couch. She watched Barton walk over toward one of the windows, and he started spying on his team leader.

Donna wanted to join him.........

She thought about the woman that waltzed into the kitchen. “Agent Romanoff” was very beautiful, and strong.

She couldn’t imagine James NOT liking her, so she debated joining Barton for several seconds. The conversation between her brother and the robot was distracting, but Donna really wanted to see what was going on between them outside.

Clint started slowly chewing on his piece of pizza, when a pretty visitor joined him beside the window. 

Donna felt very pathetic. But, oh well, she caved in and started spying.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	52. I Could Have Lied (Part 2)

Chapter Fifty-Two: I Could Have Lied (Part 2)

* * *

Bucky watched Natasha. She was delegating, and telling the secondary unit where to hold position. She planned to speak to Bucky Barnes, but he had to wait.

The not-so-winter-soldier didn’t mind it. He could watch her all day. That thought almost made him laugh, but he held it in.

She was very thorough. Bucky started thinking that Nick Fury didn’t deserve her, just like someone else out there that he knew.

Bucky patiently waited for his lecture. He looked up at the sky and noticed that the sun was setting. It had been a long week, but Bucky Barnes wasn’t tired.

That redhead finally stepped in front of him. Her hands were firmly planted up on her hips, and she looked ...

Disappointed? The look on her face reminded him of Steve Rogers. Bucky wasn’t completely aware of who, or what he was reminded of, but the thought was there.

Natasha just stared at him. She kept her hands up on those hips, and she remained silent. Bucky Barnes had her full attention, and she kept quiet.

He stared back at her. His mind started wandering around, of course, and he wondered what they were doing.

It felt like they were, dancing.

It was odd for Bucky. He softly smiled, and pulled both of his shoulders upward. He gave Natasha a playful shrug, because she was being too quiet.

“You’re working.”

“I know.”

Bucky was going to do whatever the hell he wanted to do. He knew that he was on the job, but so what..

His “job” was to keep them safe. If some asshole showed up, then he’d handle it. Bucky shrugged again, and he glanced at one of her hands.

Her disappointed posture strengthened, so Bucky looked back up at her face.

“Is this all you do? Constantly work for Fury? I noticed that you and Barton seem to live back at base.”

Was she ever not “working”. Bucky had to wonder. He thought about a few other things, but he didn’t feel like asking about it in that moment.

He was going to ask her, eventually.

Natasha didn’t answer his question right away. She thought about it, and continued to stare at him. Natasha actually studied his behavior. Bucky didn’t know it, but he was under review. Natasha was the one putting together his assessment, and so far....

“Evil never sleeps.”

“I don’t agree. I think it rotates, just like us.”

Well, they all should rotate. He didn’t think Natasha ever stopped, and he was intentionally getting on her case. The not-so-winter-soldier wanted to get to the bottom of Nick Fury’s way of treating certain undocumented agents.

Ezekiel, Natasha, and Barton were all on the young side of the game, and Bucky was determined to dig up any exploitation. They didn’t need to be working for S.H.I.E.L.D. every hour of the damn day.

“Rotating is not for everyone.”

Natasha didn’t want to discuss it. She could see where Bucky was heading, and she felt like the table had turned. The Black Widow started thinking that she was receiving a lecture, and it was beginning to bother her.

Bucky didn’t ease up. He stepped in close, and chipped away at her response. Even their conversation felt like a dance.

“But, it should be for everyone. So, when I randomly ask you to stop and spend a day with me, would you do it?”

Bucky put a very heavy emphasis on the word “when” and Natasha kept staring. It didn’t take her long to process what he was actually saying to her, but it was unexpected.

“I could take you dancing, if...”

Bucky’s face fell into a small smile. He chickened out at the end, and that wasn’t normally his style. He wasn’t talking about the type of dancing that he saw in those crappy night clubs.  


No, Bucky Barnes was talking about the type of dancing that he experienced in the 1930s. He missed it, and he wanted to show Natasha how it was done.

The question was swirling around in the Widow’s mind. Her posture held strong, and she started focusing on Bucky’s smile.

Dancing? She thought what he said was the oddest thing.

Bucky watched her eyes, because she started looking toward her left shoulder. He had a feeling that she was going to respond.

He was eager to hear it, because he already knew something about Natasha Romanoff. Bucky noticed something about her when they first met.

He wanted to bring it up several times, but he always refrained. She kept staring at her shoulder, and then she slowly touched the device in her ear.

A very defeated look struck Bucky’s face, because she responded to the voice in her earpiece. Natasha did not respond to his question.

She didn’t plan on responding, because they were working. The Black Widow gave the update a response, and then she returned her focus to Agent Barnes.

“The update on Stephen Strange has come in. It’s pretty bad, so..”

Natasha looked over at the house. She told Bucky to shape up, and to stop flirting with women while he was working.

“Rotate on your own time.”

She turned around and headed toward the house. Natasha needed to update Stephen’s siblings, and regroup with her team.

Bucky felt like he got stabbed in the chest. He stood there looking dumb, but he slowly made his way back into the safe house.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	53. I Could Have Lied (Part 3)

Chapter Fifty-Three: I Could Have Lied (Part 3)

* * *

While Natasha and Bucky talked outside, Donna and Clint kept snooping around the window. They didn’t notice how the conversation between Ezekiel and Victor was slowly developing.

Victor completely ditched the video game, and he started standing at some random work table.

Ezekiel was standing beside him. The Jackal was watching him draw a bunch of nonsense on a piece of paper.

Victor kept firing questions in his direction. Ezekiel would answer, but then another one would quickly follow. He wanted to ask Victor a question or two, but it wasn’t happening.

Ezekiel felt like he was, interested. It made him feel ...

Well, he thought Victor’s behavior was cute. He kept drawing random swirls on the paper, and Ezekiel wondered if he was nervous. He wasn’t sure why he would be, but another question emerged.

Victor asked him if he actually made the suit that he was in, and Ezekiel told him that he did.

Victor decided to repeat a question. He stared at his swirls for a minute, and then he glanced over at the Jackal’s suit.

“Why do you wear it all the time? Or, when will you take it off?”

He wanted to see the person underneath. Victor didn’t know why, but he was getting pretty fascinated with the Jackal. His energy felt familiar, and he just needed to know who it was.

“I take it off when I’m here, working. And, when I sleep.”

“Wait, you live here?”

Hold on. Victor looked around the safe house. He started drawing all over the paper again, and he thought about the room that he woke up in.

His baby Strange heart started wondering if he was in his bedroom. Victor thought about the small pile of clothes.

“Yes. I live here, for now.”

He wasn’t sure where he would be going next. Or, what Fury really intended to do with him. Everything felt very vague. Ezekiel kept staring down at Victor’s hands.

“Was that your room? The one I slept in?”

He really had to know. Victor looked at the face of that suit again, and he wished it was the actual person. How crazy was that. Victor suddenly felt very....

...

... weird.

Ezekiel didn’t really want to answer the last question he received, but he went ahead and did it anyway.

“Yes. That was my room.”

He started feeling like he was saying way too much. No one was stopping him, and the responses just kept leaving his mouth. Victor’s bottom lip migrated upward.

It slipped underneath the top row of his teeth, and he slowly started chewing. He started scribbling on the paper even more as well, because he needed to distract himself.

His older sister was still snooping, and Natasha and Bucky were still outside at that point. Victor started catching on that there was some super weird surveillance stuff going on with that “White Jackal”, so he changed up his game.

“What’s your name?”

His real name. Victor wanted it. He kept staring at the paper in front of him, and he sucked in a deep breath. The Jackal took a step closer, and he brought his hand over toward Victor’s.

Ezekiel revealed his left hand, and he borrowed the pen. He wrote his name down on the piece of paper, and Victor slowly swallowed where he stood.

He read his name, and he thought that his face was going to melt off and hit the floor. The youngest Strange quickly wrote something down on the piece of paper, and Ezekiel glanced over at the words.

He asked him if he could see him without the suit. The question made Ezekiel’s oxygen disappear pretty quickly. He forgot to breathe, and he didn’t know if that was a smart move.

Fury was watching him, testing his loyalty, and assessing his behavior. Ezekiel didn’t want to end up back in prison, but he wanted Victor to see.

Maybe it was ok if it was, just Victor? He really wasn’t sure.

He borrowed the pen again and wrote that he wanted him to. He wanted that, but ...

Ezekiel didn’t know how to explain it. Victor took that pen and he looked around the safe house again. He felt like Ezekiel was stuck there.

It felt like he was trapped in some sort of weird job. Victor didn’t live that way, so he quickly wrote something down for him to see.

Victor’s entire body blushed when he wrote down the address to the Sanctorum. He felt like he was doing something illegal, or...

It felt like he was hitting on some guy in a robot suit. Victor became very flustered. He just wanted the two of them to meet somewhere else, and ... possibly... hang... out.

He felt very stupid when he re-processed what he did, so he abruptly covered the address with his hands.

Victor gasped out and he closed his eyes, because a random door quickly opened.

That freaked him out even more. Victor immediately folded up the piece of paper. He shoved it in his front pocket, and he started staring at something random.

Ezekiel kept staring at him. He listened to Natasha’s voice, but he couldn’t move. She said that she had an update on Stephen Strange, and that she needed all of them to listen.

He woke up after a moment. The Jackal covered that hand up with his tech, and he eventually stopped staring at Victor. Ezekiel really needed a minute to process the address thing.

He wasn’t sure what it meant.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	54. I Could Have Lied (Part 4)

Chapter Fifty-Four: I Could Have Lied (Part 4)

* * *

Steve Rogers was currently sketching. He was resting in the guest bedroom of the Santa Monica house, and he was quietly thinking.

Thinking, processing, contemplating, sketching, and brooding.

Stephen was laying in the bed beside him, and Clea was sleeping. Her face was still against Stephen’s chest, and she was exhausted.

That poor thing could not stop crying. Her heart was broken, and the void that she felt wouldn’t go away.

Clea felt robbed, and violated. She didn’t want to speak to anyone, and Stephen was very worried. He was gently running his fingers through her hair, and he was doing his share of thinking as well.

I mean, what happened was rough.

They were officially ambushed, and Stephen wasn’t sure what the aftermath was going to look like. His body was “normal”, and he couldn’t look into jack shit.

He heard Steve give out a bitter sigh, and the demoted sorcerer softly smiled.

All three of them were content on that bed, but Steve’s mind was directed upward. He kept glancing out the bedroom window. Stephen was unaware of it, but he figured Steve was thinking up.

“Victor has been on my mind a lot recently. He’s not going to take this very well.”

They told Nick Fury to give Donna and Victor a vague update. He didn’t want them knowing the full situation, because Victor would probably declare war.

Mixing his emotions up with Wong in that moment was a very bad idea. He didn’t need any mystic ability to foresee Wong putting his younger brother to work.

Stephen didn’t want that, because Baron Mordo would overpower Victor. The demoted sorcerer kept chewing on his thoughts, and he glanced down at Clea’s hair.

Steve looked up from his sketch, and he responded to the comment about Victor Strange. He recalled an interesting conversation with him, and it brought Steve a small amount of joy.

“Your baby brother is crushing on someone.”

Steve felt a little better. He lived for stuff like that, and he wondered again who it was. Someone out there caught Victor’s eye, and it amused the soldier.

Stephen’s eyebrow slowly arched up. No shit? He took a look over at Steve, and his curiosity began to build.

“Finally... Christ.”

Stephen laughed. He thought something was off with his brother, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Steve’s admission brought some light into the room, and Stephen thought it over.

“How old is he now? I lost track.”

Time was so odd for Steve and the other members of his trio. They spent so much time at the Kamar taj, and their concept of years and time was drastically affected.

Steve didn’t even know how long he had known them. It was crazy, but the soldier kept going. He did remember Victor being fifteen when Stephen took him out of Nebraska.

“Victor is nineteen now, but mentally? I think he’s still twelve.”

Stephen laughed again. He was the oldest, so that meant he was allowed to make fun of his siblings. He felt like it was his job, because they needed to stay on their toes.

Hmm, Steve couldn’t believe it. Baby Victor really wasn’t a baby anymore. The soldier couldn’t help but feel a little protective, or paternal toward the youngest member of their crew. He pondered that for a bit, and resumed his sketch.

Stephen was glad to hear that Victor was looking at something other than a video game, but the thought of that also worried the brother just a bit.

Victor was still a little vulnerable, but Stephen decided to change the subject.

“I’m surprised you are just accepting what happened. Tony’s gone, and you’re chill?”

Stephen had to ask. He looked up from Clea’s hair and he stared at the blonde beside him. Steve stopped sketching for a moment. He looked over his drawing of the Living Tribunal, and he glanced down at Stephen.

“Oh, I am not accepting a damn thing. I’m going to go talk to Tony.”

As soon as his sketch was done, Steve planned to head UP. He was going to knock on the Tribunal’s door, or whatever ...and see what was actually going on.

Stephen laughed again. He tried not to move Clea, but Steve’s bold declaration was beyond hilarious. Stephen thought that Tony ditching Steve caused him to lose his mind.  


The Living Tribunal could not be bargained with. It only saw the situation, and passed it’s judgement. End of story.

“Yeah, good luck with that Steve. Clea and I will be right here.”

  
The soldier heard that playful laugh, and he stared down at Stephen. He WAS going to confront that Tribunal, and hopefully see Tony..

Then, maybe just...talk to him? Bring him home? With their little baby? Steve was working all of that out, but the sketch had to come first.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. 

Note: We have officially reached the halfway point. I’m curious to know what the readers think.

Which parts of the story keep you going? (Don’t be shy lol) 

I’m mapping out the next half of the story, so any feedback is greatly appreciated ! 


	55. I Could Have Lied (Part 5)

Chapter Fifty-Five: I Could Have Lied (Part 5)

* * *

Natasha told the siblings that their brother was going to be dealing with something called the “Living Tribunal” and that he wanted them to lay low.

Victor became silent for a moment. He started wondering which book had information in it about the Tribunal. It was ringing a bell, so he kept trying to recall.

Donna simply stared at “Agent Romanoff”. She didn’t feel any bad vibes out there relating to Stephen, so she assumed that he was far away.

Actually, she couldn’t feel her brother’s energy at all. She immediately turned her focus toward Victor and asked.

“Do you think he is here? I can’t feel him.”

She started thinking he was in the Dark Dimension. Donna could always feel her brothers ...somewhere.

So, she felt very odd in that moment.

Victor looked at his sister. The only way he could answer that was to look into Stephen’s energy. He stood still and mentally felt around for it, but his mind immediately locked onto the energy of another person.

Victor looked over at the only robot in the room, and he immediately became flustered. He forced his focus back toward his sister’s shoes.

“Well? Did you pick him up?”

Donna saw Victor get all spazzed out. She thought that he had a brain spasm, or something. She brushed his behavior off and waited for Victor to speak.

“I uhh, I can’t feel him. He must be outside our dimension.”

Victor tried not to look over in the Jackal’s direction any longer. He knew that his name was actually Ezekiel. Victor looked again, but he immediately felt stupid ...and weird.

He just gave someone that he barely knew his address. Who does that?? Victor had to wonder.

He felt like a freak.

Donna’s eyebrow arched up super high, because Victor clearly had a few screws loose or something. She thought that he was acting bizarre.

She turned her focus toward the “team leader” and she gave the other woman a smile. James was very quiet when they returned, and he was standing way off in the distance.

“Agent Romanoff” obviously put him in his place, and Donna liked that.

She also noticed a thing or two between them when she watched through the window. Donna Strange wasn’t stupid.

“Right. Well, again... Stephen Strange says to lay low. We’re willing to keep you two secure here for the night, if you want?”

Natasha thought that was the best plan. She didn’t want them out wandering around, even if the update that they were given was bogus. Natasha knew the actual story, but that was only supposed to be shared with one other person.

She looked directly at the other person, and she contemplated how to deliver the message.

WAIT. Spend the night?

Victor immediately thought that his body was going to explode. Ezekiel’s energy was already sending Victor through the roof. He couldn’t...

Victor wasn’t sure if he could stay there. His mouth was open to speak, but he couldn’t say a damn thing.

Donna Strange crossed her arms. She was given a little too much time to process the update from her older brother, and the middle child suddenly wasn’t buying it.

She looked over at James, and then she settled her focus back on the ring leader. Natasha’s demeanor began to change.

“Donna, I’d like to speak to you outside. If you don’t mind?”

Natasha gave Donna a very pleasant looking smile, and it caused her to step back a bit. She wasn’t sure if the red head was actually speaking to her at first.

She quickly glanced behind her own shoulder, just to be sure.

“Uhh, ok. Yeah. That’s..”

Donna actually felt a bit nervous. She had to look over at James one more time, then she followed after Natasha.

“It won’t take long.”

Natasha gave out another friendly smile. That smile was specifically for Bucky Barnes, and he caught the drift. It felt like a little “girl chat” was going to happen, and the not-so-winter-soldier wasn’t feeling it.

Uhh, what could they possibly need to discuss? 

He watched Natasha casually take Donna outside. His immediate reaction was to act completely unbothered.

That red head was just trying to get beneath his skin. Bucky could feel it, and he wasn’t taking the bait.

The back door to the safe house closed, and Victor slowly glanced around. The video game was still paused, and he suddenly thought that was the best thing for him to do.

He suppressed the urge to look over at Ezekiel, and he quickly returned to the video game. Clint Barton happily joined him, and it made Victor feel a million times better.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	56. The Zephyr Song (Part 1)

Chapter Fifty-Six: The Zephyr Song (Part 1)

* * *

  
Ezekiel started staring at the television. He wasn’t sure if he did something wrong, but it began to feel like Victor was avoiding him.

The Jackal was in his suit, so the affect it had on him went unnoticed. Victor and Clint were playing a racing game, and their interest in it was locked.

Ezekiel kept glancing over at Victor, but he wouldn’t look away from the screen at all. The Jackal tried not to take it personal, but it was getting difficult. Clint Barton was getting all the attention again, and Ezekiel slowly realized that he felt jealous.

Natasha and Donna were outside, and the only other person in the room was Agent Barnes.

The Jackal couldn’t remember if they ever had a conversation. He didn’t think Bucky even registered that he was there. He felt very alone in that moment, so he turned away from the living room.

He needed to check in with someone, Ezekiel was way past due. Victor looked up from that game the instant that suit started leaving the room.

He saw Ezekiel head into his bedroom. Clint destroyed Victor’s vehicle when he wasn’t looking, and the archer’s laugh got pretty loud.

Victor immediately wanted to chuck the controller at his head. He had that truck all customized, but now it was destroyed. He told Barton that he sucked, but it just made the archer laugh even more.

Bucky was too quiet. He was doing his best to remain unbothered, but the women were out there for too damn long. He was NOT going to look out the window.

It was tempting, but the man refrained. He kept watching the stupid video game, and he briefly wondered what a “Living Tribunal” even was.

It sounded ... churchy.

He actually didn’t pay attention to Ezekiel. Bucky knew that he went to his room, but he determined him to be completely harmless.

The guy was way too quiet and he bored him to tears. But, he was harmless.

He didn’t sweat the Jackal leaving the room, and he glanced over at the back door to the house.

Ezekiel remained in his suit. He closed the door to his bedroom, and he walked into the middle of the room. He placed a video call, but he was two days off his schedule.

He was supposed to check in with Charles Xavier once a week, but he forgot.

The mutant appeared before him, but the screen was very small. Ezekiel removed the top half of his armor, and he slowly smiled at the professor.

“Professor X” asked him how he was doing, and he didn’t even mention that Ezekiel was late. The mutant checked in on his own, but the Jackal wasn’t aware of it.

Ezekiel said that he felt a little lost. He also brought up the fact that he hadn’t spoken to Tony Stark,because that was something Ezekiel really wanted to do.

He needed closure on that, and to possibly apologize. Ezekiel thought about what his father did to him, and what his role was in all of that.

Xavier reminded him that he was not his father, and he was putting himself in a dark place. The subject needed to change, because Xavier knew that Ezekiel wasn’t ready to talk to Tony.

“I guess, maybe... I’ve been in this safe house too long. Or, maybe in this suit? I want to remove it, but I don’t want to end up back at Seagate.”

Xavier listened and he smiled. He was the person responsible for Ezekiel leaving the penitentiary. When he found out he was in there, the mutant had him removed immediately.

“If the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. has any issue with you, it goes to me first. Understand? If you want to remove your suit, or leave the safe house, you may do so.”

Nick Fury would have to adapt. Xavier worked very hard to get Ezekiel where he was, and he was not going to have him fall backward.

Especially not for S.H.I.E.L.D...

The mutant’s words made Ezekiel feel a little lighter. He eased up a little, and he formed another small smile. He started thinking about Victor’s sudden change in behavior. 

“Would you like to discuss your current thought?”

No way. Ezekiel quickly shook his head no, and he slowly looked over at the door. The professor just smiled at him, and he let him have his thoughts.

He thanked Ezekiel for checking in, and told him not to worry. The call ended, and the White Jackal kept standing in the room.

He was about to make a pretty big decision. It was stay or go, right there in that moment. Ezekiel looked over at the door again, and his suit began to unravel off of his clothes the rest of the way.

He made up his mind, so he walked toward his bedroom door. Ezekiel pulled himself out of his doubt, and he headed back into the living room.

Bucky noticed, and he focused immediately. He saw Ezekiel emerge without his suit on, and his eyes followed him all the way toward the living room couch.

He saw the White Jackal slowly sit down beside Victor. The reasoning behind that was completely beyond Bucky, but Victor was totally sucked into the stupid game.

He was just sitting there, beside Victor, without his suit on. Bucky was friggen shocked. Barton noticed him first, then VICTOR finally pulled his face away from that stupid game.

Victor saw Ezekiel’s face, and he looked like he was going to die. He was so shocked and confused. Bucky didn’t understand the look that was on Victor’s face.

He watched him drop the controller, and then awkwardly scramble around and pick it up. Victor started saying a bunch of nonsense, and the not-so-winter-soldier had to blink a dozen times.

? Victor started acting very weird. It looked like he flipped his lid, or something.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	57. The Zephyr Song (Part 2)

Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Zephyr Song (Part 2)

* * *

As soon as Donna Strange walked outside with “Agent Romanoff”, someone drove up in a black vehicle. Natasha started speaking to the person in the car, and Donna softly sighed.

She didn’t necessarily mind waiting, she just didn’t have the patience for it. It was cold, and she didn’t have a jacket.

Plus, Donna wasn’t really in the mood to chat. She started thinking about her older brother, but her thoughts were interrupted.

“Sorry. The boss had to talk to me.”

“It’s fine. We really don’t have to do this, it’s ok. I’m fine with it. Seriously..”

She didn’t care if James moved on. Donna had a feeling that he would, but not that quickly. He was a good looking guy, so it made sense.

“Fine with it?”

Natasha wasn’t following. Her posture straightened, and she detected a little bit of attitude coming from that pretty skirt. Donna behaved as if she had better things to do...

The Black Widow’s eyes slowly sharpened, because Donna rephrased what she was saying.

“You’re obviously into him, and that’s fine. If he’s been with you, I don’t care. We don’t need to talk about it. I’ve moved out, and moved on.”

Donna Strange crossed her arms. She wasn’t dumb, and she knew exactly what she saw when she went snooping.

She was very cold at that point, and not interested in swapping the boy talk. Donna couldn’t imagine the other woman bringing up anything else, so she went ahead and made her assumptions.

Natasha abruptly rolled her eyes, and it irritated Donna. The Widow didn’t think she “moved on” based off her behavior with Bucky in the kitchen. That door was still very open, but that didn’t interest Natasha.

And, she was “obviously” into him? Think again.

Natasha bit her tongue on what she really wanted to say, and she changed the subject.

“Agent Barnes is not why we’re out here. Your older brother has given me some additional information that he only wants me to say to you.”

Got it? Natasha couldn’t be bothered with Romeo and his pretty little skirt. The two of them could dance and rotate all they wanted when the day was done.

Unfortunately for Natasha, it seemed like that day was getting longer and longer. Donna’s face altered immediately. Her level of concern escalated, and she forgot all about being cold.

“He doesn’t want Victor going anywhere near something called the Sanctorum? Stephen is afraid that someone named Wong will convince him to retaliate. He says that we need to keep him busy.”

That was just part of what Natasha needed to tell Donna. The pretty skirt changed her tune, and Natasha let her attitude go.

She let that comment about Bucky Barnes go as well, because she was not “into” him. The Widow was very bothered, but she refused to show it.

Bucky could see a little bit of that bothered behavior. He took a quick glance out the window as he walked by it. The two women were still talking outside, and he started getting a little nervous.

It felt like a cat fight was going to happen out there, or something. Bucky didn’t think they would fight specifically over him, but he couldn’t really see those two getting along.

They both had similar attitudes, so....

Bucky turned away from the window quickly and he glanced back over at the situation in the living room.

Victor Strange was still acting bizarre. He dropped the controller for the millionth time, then moved back toward the far side of the couch. He kept staring at Ezekiel, then he quickly brought his legs up toward his chest.

He was hugging one of his legs with his left arm, and he kept staring. Victor looked freaked out, and very flustered.

What in the actual hell was going on? Bucky was very confused.

The “White Jackal” wasn’t wearing his suit. He sat beside Victor for just a moment, but then he got up and he headed over toward his work table.

Bucky watched him pick up a piece of pizza, and inspect it like it was foreign to him. Ezekiel didn’t eat pizza. He was raised on a completely different diet.

The Jackal was acting bizarre as well. He stopped looking at Victor, but Bucky hadn’t figured out why. The only person in the room that figured it out was Clint Barton. He was sitting in the chair with his mouth permanently locked open.

He kept looking from Victor, to Ezekiel. Victor, then Ezekiel. Back and forth. He caught onto their behavior immediately, and the baby archer started freaking out.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	58. The Zephyr Song (Part 3)

Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Zephyr Song (Part 3)

* * *

So uhh, Victor was very shocked when he noticed who was randomly sitting beside him. He thought it was Bucky at first, so he ignored him.

But then, that familiar energy re-registered, and it made Victor turn and look.

He saw the person that he thought about all the time. Victor saw the stranger in the apartment hallway, and he immediately freaked out. He dropped the controller, picked it up.

When he tried to bring the controller back up toward him, he smacked it on the table and dropped it again.

He didn’t ....

Victor couldn’t believe it, and he didn’t know what to do. The person from the hallway was dressed so nice. His clothes were casual, soft colors, but just...

...

... nice. 

Victor kept staring, and he had to back up. His entire body became flustered, so he had to back up as far as he could go.

He was just realizing why his energy felt so familiar. The stranger from the apartment hallway was the one in the robot suit. Victor put it all together, and he didn’t know why he wasn’t told.

Ezekiel didn’t say anything about it. He just watched Victor quickly move away from him. That caused the Jackal to have his own set of anxiety, so he quickly stood up.

He immediately regretted what he did, and he tried to do something “normal”. Ezekiel almost retreated back to his bedroom, but he stopped at his work table instead.

He decided to focus on the food that was provided, but he didn’t think that it was very nourishing. He stared at the pizza, and did his best to calm himself down.

His face felt very warm, and he reminded himself that he wasn’t in his suit. Ezekiel had to tell himself that the people in the room could see the expressions on his face, so he thought about putting his suit back on.

The shock of seeing Ezekiel was slowly fading, but Victor couldn’t really move. He kept staring at the top of his knee, and processing what he wanted to do.

Victor processed things pretty quickly. He was the “baby” of the Strange family, but he was just as quick on the draw.

“WHERE’S YOUR BATHROOM?”

That was his plan, to blurt out a random question. Bucky rubbed the side of his ear, Barton kept staring, and Ezekiel looked up from his defeat.

The restroom? The question had them all a bit puzzled. Ezekiel quietly responded. He said it was down the hall and to the left.

“Can you show me?”

Victor was suddenly blind, and completely unable to process verbal directions. He addressed that last question toward Ezekiel, so the Jackal set down the piece of pizza.

He said that he would show him where it was, and he crossed the room slowly. Victor brought his legs to the floor, and slowly followed.

Bucky heard all that talk about the bathroom, but he was taking another quick peek outside the safe house.

Clint Barton was watching Victor Strange. He sat there in complete disbelief, because he understood what he was witnessing.

Victor stepped up toward that bathroom door, and he quickly took Ezekiel in and shut the door.

UUUHHHWWWWHHHAAATTT???!!!

Clint Barton gasped very loudly, and he freaked out again. He jumped up in his seat, right when Bucky brought his focus back to the room.

“What in the actual fuck are you doing?”

He had to ask the archer, because he looked really crazy up on that chair. Clint pointed. He pointed, but the words within him weren’t working.

“They...”

“They both went into the bathroom”, felt really weird for him to say out loud. Sooo, the archer just kept awkwardly pointing, and spazzing out.

Bucky roughly rolled his eyes, and he let out an exhausted sigh.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	59. The Zephyr Song (Part 4)

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Zephyr Song (Part 4)

* * *

Steve helped Stephen get what he needed to stay at the Santa Monica house for a while.

The soldier said that the house was all theirs, and he showed him how to operate the fancy kitchen. Stephen was amused, because the technology was modern enough for him to figure out, but it still seemed like alien technology to Steve.

It was cute. Stephen kept smiling as Steve showed him how fast the water boiled with the electric kettle. Steve seemed so impressed with the tech display.

It was hilarious, but Stephen controlled himself. His mood was weird, because Clea was too distant. She was still asleep when Steve gave him the grand tour, but when it was over ...he went to check.

Clea was just lying on the bed. A deep sadness had struck her...

It was breaking Stephen’s soul. He saw her in the room, but he had to turn his focus back to Steve for just a moment.

“I’ve never wanted someone to die, but Mordo has it coming.”

Stephen understood that he couldn’t retaliate against Baron Mordo. The other sorcerer played his game very well. If he went after him, then that would mean he retaliated against something that was done by the Tribunal.

That was some serious shit, and Stephen wasn’t stupid. He was angry, and that was exactly what Mordo wanted. The demoted sorcerer also knew that he wasn’t the only one that was angry.

Steve watched him, and he just listened as Stephen looked down at his amulet. His connection with Agamotto had been severed, just like the power that came with his cloak.

Stephen was sure that Agamotto wanted Mordo dead, so he knew that eventually he’d have to overcome what the entity wanted.

“If Mordo slips up, he’s done.”

That was the only way for Stephen to punish him. Mordo would have to screw up in some way. It aggravated Stephen, but he currently had something more important to think about.

He needed to go to Clea, so he looked at Steve one last time.

“Thanks for getting us our stuff.”

“Sure, yeah. It was quick.. you two are very organized.”

Steve smiled. Clea and Stephen had a bunch of normal clothes, so Steve grabbed them. He thought it was best because...

Well, they were going to be “normal” for a pretty long time. Steve thought it was best. The demoted sorcerer smiled again, and he wished him luck on the Tony hunt.

Steve made a bold declaration earlier, and he was determined to at least see Tony’s face before five friggen years passed between them. The soldier was still in disbelief.

He left the house. Stephen had the car keys in case they needed to go somewhere, but the blonde took off from his home with Tony .

He formed a portal, and hunted down Thor and Wong. He knew that those two could send him in the right direction, because he didn’t really know how to get to the Living Tribunal.

Steve had a feeling that he needed to keep heading up, but he convinced himself that it couldn’t be that simple.

He also couldn’t feel Tony anywhere near him. The soldier’s gut was telling him that someone’s “Thunderbird” was pretty far away.

* * *

Chapter: END 

Thanks for reading.


	60. The Zephyr Song (Part 5)

Chapter Sixty: The Zephyr Song (Part 5)

* * *

Ezekiel wasn’t really sure if he was breathing in that bathroom. He was abruptly pulled into it, and it wasn’t very big.

It was technically a, half bathroom? The full one was in the master bedroom. Ezekiel was standing by the sink, and Victor Strange had his back flat up against the bathroom door.

He looked like he was about to run off, or something. He did have a plan in his head somewhere, but his nerves got the best of him.

Victor just kept looking at the person from the apartment hallway, and a million questions about him kept flooding his mind.

“Hello.”

Ezekiel decided to say something. He understood that he bombarded Victor with his physical identity, and he was sure that was why Victor was behaving like that.

But, the truth was... Ezekiel didn’t know jack about any behavior like that. He only drew assumptions based off of interactions that he monitored.

He wasn’t normal...

The young man just stared, and he heard Victor swallow. The baby Strange had to clear his throat. It didn’t work the first time he opened his mouth, so he tried again.

“Hi.”

He responded, but his body wanted to take off. Victor was nervous, and freaking out over what he was doing. His own behavior was confusing him, but his thoughts weren’t that hard to follow.

Victor understood what he wanted to do in that moment, so he started edging away from the door. His movement was slow, but Ezekiel matched it.

He was moving away from the sink, and catching onto what Victor wanted to do.

Those two started kissing in that small bathroom, and Clint Barton was still spazzing out on the chair. Bucky told him to shut up twice, but he stopped talking when Natasha and Donna entered the safe house.

Their conversation had ended, and Donna was in a terrible mood. She knew something was wrong with Stephen, but what pissed her off had to do with Clea.

Her sister-in-law eventually grew on her, and the idea of her being fucked with was just.....

“What’s his problem?”

Donna noticed Clint when she walked back into the living room. He was pointing like a crazy person, and he was as red as a tomato. Bucky let out yet another exhausted sigh, and he addressed the stupid situation.

“He’s only repeating the same crap over and over. I think he’s broken.”

Oh, and also? Bucky didn’t care. Natasha took in Bucky’s irritated posture, and she also took in Barton’s behavior.

Natasha Romanoff noticed that Ezekiel and Victor were missing from the situation right away, and she looked in the direction where the archer was pointing.

Donna started catching on that her brother was gone, but she never expected him to be in a bathroom with some random person.

It didn’t register with the sister at all, but she started looking around.

“Are they in there Clint?”

Natasha spoke out into the room, and Clint Barton shook his head yes a million times. What she said caused a bit of a stir. Donna’s surprise became the loudest.

“Who’s they? Who’s in where?”

Wait. What? Donna immediately asked for Victor. Bucky almost choked. All the signs he had been obliviously seeing in that living room finally registered. 

“Your brother and Ezekiel. They are in the bathroom.”

“My brother and who?”

WAIT. What? Donna was freaking out. She didn’t know why her brother would be in the bathroom with anyone, and she didn’t have a clue who Ezekiel was.

People and places were currently not connecting with Donna Strange, but she quickly started knocking on that bathroom door. It was just....too insane for her to process.

There wasn’t any response. Her one job was to keep Victor occupied, and far away from Wong’s compulsion to put Victor to work.

Donna suddenly felt like she failed her older brother. She felt that way because when she opened the bathroom door..... she found no one in it. 

She assumed her baby brother used a portal, and most likely went to the Sanctorum. Donna held the bathroom door open, and she slowly glared at the stupid people in the house....

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	61. The Zephyr Song (Part 6)

Chapter Sixty-One: The Zephyr Song (Part 6)

* * *

“Count me out. I’m done. Heading in.”

When an agent was “heading in”, that meant he or she was done for the night. Natasha heard Clint Barton throw in the towel, because someone mentioned them tracking down Victor Strange.

The archer saw those looks they were giving each other. Ezekiel and Victor were being all lovey-dovey. It was crazy, and the Clint Barton that existed in that dimension was too immature for shit like that.

He wanted to go home and sleep. Natasha let him go, but then she directed her attention to Donna Strange.

“S.H.I.E.L.D. is only responsible for relaying Stephen’s message to Wong. If Victor is there, that’s great. If he’s not, that’s not our problem.”

Natasha was told to back down. That information came to her before she had the conversation with Donna outside the safe house.

Ezekiel was no longer under their surveillance. Charles Xavier made sure of it, and Natasha was just following orders.

She just had to speak to Wong, then her job was done. Donna obviously had a ton of questions, but it wasn’t Natasha’s job to help her get a clue.

She had no intention of filling Victor’s sister in on the situation, and Donna was kinda figuring that out.

Her glare softened a little, but she was still holding one just for “Agent Romanoff”. The woman rubbed Donna the wrong way, and it was getting worse.

Bucky began to feel the heat, so he chimed into the situation. He stepped in between the two women, and he tried to fan down the flames.

“LOOK. Relax. I’m sure he’s just.... showing Ezekiel the Sanctum. He’s super obsessed with it, so..”

Yeah. That’s what he was doing. Bucky held a small grin, and Donna almost called him a dumbass.

“WHO. IS. EZEKIEL?”

That is the only information that the sister was interested in hearing. She planned to deal with Wong herself. She didn’t need miss secret agent relaying any message for her family. Donna had that shit very covered.

“We don’t have any information on Ezekiel that we can give you. Our job was strictly surveillance.”

Natasha answered that question, but Donna was clearly asking Bucky. The not-so-winter-soldier needed to keep his mouth shut. The night was almost over, but Donna’s anger was slowly building.

“...whatever.”

The sister formed a portal and she stepped into it. Bucky sighed at the catty stuff, and quickly followed. He glanced behind him, and told Natasha to jump in. The red head hesitated for a moment, but she quickly followed.

The three of them looked up at the Sanctum Sanctorum. Natasha had never seen it before, but Donna confidently walked right up to the door.

“If Wong is here, I will take you to him. You can say your message, than leave...”

They both could get lost, because James was getting on her nerves as well. Donna didn’t wait for any sort of response. She was quick to move on, just like her older brother.

Donna could tell immediately that Victor wasn’t there. She felt his energy somewhere else. She touched the door to the Sanctorum, but then she started looking toward the downtown section of New York.

“Is this, Ezekiel... a good person?”

Did she need to worry? Donna had to double check. She briefly looked behind her, and she stared at the person that she used to live with. She trusted his judgment when it came to looking into other people.

In her opinion, James cut right through all the bullshit. It was an interesting trait, for a liar... but he was a special case.

“Yeah. I think you’d approve, after a while.”

There were some serious issues that went along with Ezekiel Stane. Bucky wasn’t going to sugar coat that. But, he ultimately felt like the guy was harmless.

He was totally lost, but harmless.

Donna gave her thoughts a little more time. She looked toward downtown again, then she slowly opened the door. She allowed Natasha into the world of the Mystic Arts, and she watched her look around.

A conversation was already happening in the Sanctorum. That conversation was interrupted when the front door opened.

Wong and Thor were standing at the top of the giant staircase. The other sorcerer was looking down at Steve Rogers. Steve was standing in the middle of the stairs, and he was asking them about going to the Living Tribunal.

Bucky hadn’t seen Steve in a while. He kept looking up toward the top of that staircase, and his eyes locked onto his best friend.

It didn’t feel like they were friends in that moment, but Bucky was sorta hoping all the smoke had blown over. Steve noticed the interruption, and he saw what walked into the room.

The blonde stared down at Bucky Barnes, but his expression didn’t change.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	62. The Zephyr Sing (Part 7)

Chapter Sixty-Two: The Zephyr Song (Part 7)

* * *

Victor wasn’t used to someone kissing him. His first kiss was from a girl named Morgana Blessing, but that happened back when he lived in Nebraska. A very warm hand was touching his skin, and the baby Strange let it happen.

He started really giving in. Victor was letting go, and kissing Ezekiel back, so he had to leave the safe house. The second Victor heard his sister’s voice, the baby sorcerer took off.

Ezekiel couldn’t believe what happened. Victor transported them somewhere else, and there wasn’t any machinery to be seen. It shocked him, but he went with it.

The youngest Strange wasn’t sure where to go at first. He started thinking that the two of them could do something in the downtown area of Manhattan.

He really liked the Chinatown district, and he wanted to wander around it with Ezekiel. Ultimately, Victor wanted to continue kissing him, and ask some questions.

That was his first attempt at a plan, but the two of them kept getting distracted. They transported to a busy part of the city, but they didn’t journey out in that moment.

As soon as they stopped moving, Ezekiel put him right back up against the wall like he was at the safe house. In the bathroom, Victor was pressed back up against the door. Now, his back was up against some small business.

They felt concealed, so they kept it going.

He felt both of Ezekiel’s hands. They were roaming underneath his shirt, and one of them started heading somewhere else.

It made them both nervous. The “Jackal” stopped his advance, and he quickly looked at Victor’s face.

“Sorry. That..”

He didn’t realize how forward he was being. Ezekiel didn’t know he could be that intimate, and he actually surprised himself. Victor was all smiles about it.

He kept saying it was fine. He didn’t mind, and that he wanted it. The youngest Strange noticed that Ezekiel looked distracted in that moment.

He kept looking off toward his left, and he started breathing at a slower pace.

“What is it?”

Victor didn’t understand the look on his face. He was just getting to know him, but it looked like he was deep in thought.

The two of them were standing very close. Their lower halves were actually touching, and it didn’t seem like they wanted to separate.

Ezekiel’s mind was drawn away, because of food. Something was being prepared and served out there in a food cart, and it provoked a memory within the White Jackal.

Victor asked him if he was ok. His voice made it through, and Ezekiel turned his attention back to his date. That what it was, right? He smiled and wondered.

“I was remembering something. Something smells familiar.”

He figured it out, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to share. Ezekiel remembered the food that his father brought him when he temporarily lived in Japan.

Russia, Japan, Europe... his father took him everywhere he worked. He had a nice room for him everywhere they went.

Victor was asking about the memory. He asked him if it was from when he was a kid.

“I think so. I’m not sure.”

His response of not being sure was his way to deflect the question. Ezekiel remembered everything, but the memories had never really surfaced.

Now that he wasn’t working like a slave, he had time to actually process what his father was doing, and what he was also doing in the process.

Victor’s face was very warm when Ezekiel started kissing him again. He asked him something else about his childhood. Victor asked him about where he grew up, but Ezekiel didn’t want to answer.

He just wanted to feel the person in front of him, and their behavior started heating up. Victor wasn’t really ready for it to get that heated, so he playfully tried to ask another question.

“Do you have amnesia? You don’t seem to remember anything, and I..”

He thought it was odd. Victor Strange had a pretty simple childhood. His siblings were a little more on the protective side of him, because they knew that he was a little naive.

They didn’t treat him like a child, but Victor really didn’t have any concept of a rough childhood. He was raised in an innocent farm boy bubble.

Ezekiel was the complete opposite. He stared at Victor, and he drew in a slow breath. He did not have amnesia, and he was unsure how to respond.

“I don’t really remember, because I wasn’t very present.”

Oh. Victor stared at his shirt for a sec. He didn’t really know how to take that, so he just let Ezekiel’s lips touch his neck.

It didn’t seem like he wanted to talk. Victor didn’t want to annoy him with anymore questions, so he just let him do what he wanted.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	63. The Zephyr Song (Part 8)

Chapter Sixty-Three: The Zephyr Song (Part 8)

Well well, fancy that.  


Donna Strange looked up at Steve Rogers. The blonde was still oblivious to what Donna and Bucky discussed, but the sister moved on from all of that.

She walked up the stairs with ease, and she stood a few steps below Steve. The soldier didn’t say much, but he gave her a quiet greeting.

Donna returned the cordial smile, but then she focused on the other protector of that house.

“Wong?”

Her voice seemed stern. Her behavior reminded Wong of her older brother. The other sorcerer focused on her and he acknowledged his name.

“Agent Romanoff is here to deliver a message. Victor is off limits. Stephen doesn’t want him correcting this delicate issue, so leave him alone.”

There. Useless message delivered. 

Donna turned around on those stairs, and she looked down at “Agent Romanoff”. The other woman was officially on her turf, and Donna wanted her to kindly make her exit.

“I want to personally thank S.H.I.E.L.D. for their assistance. They came to the rescue for my family. It’s deeply appreciated, but your services are no longer needed.”

Bye. Donna stared at Natasha and James for a little while longer, but then she turned her attention back to Wong.

“I will help you maintain the bridge between this dimension and the Dark. I will do that until Stephen’s powers return.”

Not Steve. Not Thor. Not Victor. Not S.H.I.E.L.D.

Donna was ready to take on the responsibility, and she knew it was what her older brother really needed. Stephen always told her that he wanted her to take his place.

The sister was listening. 

She walked by Steve Rogers, and completed the final steps up the stairs. Bucky watched her, then his focus slowly slipped toward the floor.

It felt like some serious shit was going on, and there he was getting dismissed again. Bucky felt very odd in that moment. He felt like he really wasn’t needed. 

That was the conversation he was supposed to have with Steve, but fuck that. The not-so-winter-soldier couldn’t look up at Steve again, so he just turned toward the door.

Dismissed again. Replaced. He had too much to think about, so he left the Sanctorum.

Natasha kept staring at all that self-righteous bullshit. She clearly wasn’t welcome there, and the Widow was good with that. She watched Bucky leave, and “Agent Romanoff” decided to follow.

Natasha left the spooky mansion. She saw Bucky wandering off. The Widow walked up beside him, and she started removing one of her gloves.

“Ready to head in?”

She didn’t look at him. Natasha just kept walking. Their pick up point was down the road, but Natasha started heading in a different direction. 

Bucky responded with a giant shrug. It took him a while to verbally respond, but Natasha heard it.

...

“Sure. Yeah. Whatever..”

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	64. The Zephyr Song (Part 9)

Chapter Sixty-Four: The Zephyr Song (Part 9)

* * *

  
“OH. Wait, I know a good one..”

Victor was referring to a good question. He was still full of them, but he tried to steer clear of any that related to Ezekiel’s upbringing.

Something happened while they were busy making out, and Ezekiel suddenly wanted to stop and get something to eat. His mood seemed to have changed, and it honestly made Victor feel a little bit better.

He didn’t want to get too physical with Ezekiel right away, because his curiosity about him was off the charts. Victor was a chatterbox, but Ezekiel didn’t seem to mind.

They were sitting inside a small restaurant, but that “Jackal” became pretty quiet.

“Did you ever get ahold of Steve and Tony? I remember, you were looking for them.”

That was his question. Victor thought it was a safe question, and it even referenced when they met. The youngest Strange started eating, and he waited for Ezekiel to answer.

The question wasn’t really a “good one”, but that wasn’t Victor’s fault. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers were a sensitive subject for the White Jackal, but he answered.

“No. I was more or less looking for Steve. Do you know them?”

Ezekiel understood that Victor’s older brother had a connection with them, but he wasn’t sure how far that reached. The two worlds were just beginning to intersect, so Ezekiel needed to get his facts straight.

Victor currently had too much food in his mouth. He held a playful smile as he got rid of it, but he started digging around in his plate for some more.

“Uhh, yes. I see them all the time. It feels like they are extended family. My brother is obsessed with them.”

He thought that Stephen was actually dating Tony at one point, but it seemed like it never happened. Victor remembered traveling with them across the country.

He also remembered when Stephen and Tony ended up in the same hotel room... and.. they..

...

Uhhmaaa....Victor’s face warmed up. He had to drink down some fancy tea. The cup was super tiny, so he quickly poured himself some  more.

Ezekiel pondered what he heard, and he started calculating several decisions. He stared at Victor’s hand for a moment, and then he brought his attention up toward his face.

He looked flustered, and very gentle. A memory surfaced in Ezekiel’s mind when he touched Victor’s skin, so he forced himself to stop. Now, he was processing the fact that he was close to Tony and Steve.

The truth would come out eventually, so Ezekiel’s demeanor changed again. Victor thought he upset him, or something. He watched Ezekiel open up the large white napkin.

He moved his plate, and unfolded it over his side of the table.

“Do you consider this to be a date between us?”

Was Victor Strange intending to be in a relationship with him? That was the translation to Ezekiel’s actual question. He waited, and he saw a nervous look suddenly flood Victor’s face.

“UHHHHHH ..are you, did you just ask me? Or, are you asking me if I’m asking you? I mean..”

Victor became even more flustered. He was clearly tongue tied, and it brought out a small smile on Ezekiel’s face.

Asking? Asking what? The Jackal just needed some clarification. It felt like they were on a date, and he wanted to be sure.

“I’m just wondering if you consider this to be a date.”

Victor decided not to verbally answer, because his words were mush. He intentionally sipped on that tea again, and he slowly started nodding his head yes.

Clarification achieved. Ezekiel glanced around for a simple tool. He noticed that the waitress had quite a few of them, so he asked her if he could have a pen.

The Jackal accepted that pen, and he brought his hands back down to the napkin.

“Since you plan on dating me, I’m going to tell you who I am.”

He started drawing a small symbol. Ezekiel was sketching it onto the far corner of the napkin, because he had a ton of ground to cover. 

Victor suddenly felt a different type of nervous. He thought about the safe house, all the surveillance, and even Ezekiel’s armor. His nerves were becoming unsettled, and the baby Strange wasn’t sure why.

He liked him. He liked him a lot, and Victor really wanted to date him. He wanted to kiss him right there in that moment, and let Ezekiel do whatever he wanted...

“If you change your mind after I tell you, I’ll understand.”

Ezekiel expected Victor to change his mind. The Jackal kept sketching his story on a napkin, and Victor’s nerves started going berserk.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	65. The Zephyr Song (Part 10)

Chapter Sixty-Five: The Zephyr Song (Part Ten)

* * *

  
“My name is Ezekiel Stane, and my father’s name was Obadiah. Thankfully, he was murdered...so now Stane International belongs to me.”

The thought of his father’s death brought him an immense amount of joy, but Ezekiel didn’t express it. Victor already looked freaked out just by what he said. The Jackal finished drawing the map of his story.

He moved it over the table, and part of the napkin touched Victor’s hand.

The youngest Strange slowly recovered from what he heard, and he looked at it. Ezekiel pointed at the symbol that was in the middle. It looked like a chess piece.

There were seven symbols on that napkin, and Victor only recognized four of them.

He recognized the Stark Industries logo, the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem with the eagle, the symbol for the X-Men, and the Tao Mandalas that were connected to the Mystic Arts.

Victor quietly observed the other three symbols, and then he looked back up at Ezekiel’s face.

“Stane International was my father’s business. It is broken up into two components. The first part mimics Stark Industries, and the other part is called the Chessmen.”

Ezekiel was now the “King” of the organization. He took a second to glance around the restaurant that they were in, and he let Victor digest that information.

He saw a million more questions build up within his friendly date, so Ezekiel tried to remain on point.

“This is the first time I have ever been out in public like this. I have been hidden away. Locked up in bedrooms, and carted around by my father all my life. There is no record of my birth, or my actual identity.”

Ezekiel was off the grid. He didn’t even know where he was born, but his soul was telling him that he was born somewhere in Afghanistan.

Victor slowly swallowed what was left of his last bite. He kept staring at Ezekiel, and what he said made him bite his lower lip.

A life like that seemed ... insane. Victor tried to process his father keeping him locked up in a room, but he couldn’t imagine it.

... his father wanted him out of his room as much as possible. Eugene Strange wanted Victor out there working, and building some sort of life. Victor chose to stay in his room.. playing video games.

“There are people out there, right now, watching us. They are waiting for me to decide which road to take, and make my first move.”

The bargaining would begin, once Ezekiel made up his mind. He inwardly referenced all of the symbols on the paper. Every single symbol was touched by his father’s work, except for one.

Ezekiel stared at the untouched symbol, then he looked back up at Victor Strange.

That gentle person looked very confused, and possibly scared. Victor didn’t like the idea of being watched. He drank some of that tea, and he really focused on what he was hearing.

Waiting for him to decide, what? Do, what? That was the part that confused Victor the most.

Ezekiel was speaking only to him, but he knew that what he said could be heard all over. Basically, it was Ezekiel’s turn to play chess.

It felt like he was sitting at the chessboard right at that moment, and all the players were drawn out on that simple napkin. His first objective was to bring Victor toward some sort of understanding, then move forward.

“I was recently identified by your brother. Somehow, he saw me... and I reacted how I was taught by my father. I allowed myself to be taken into custody. I was put in prison, then they transferred me to S.H.I.E.L.D. right before we met.”

Stephen Strange identified him, and described him over a communication link. The White Jackal had never been put in that position before, but his mind had been groomed for the reaction.

His father always told him to reveal himself when he was caught, then let the chess pawns come to him.

His father thought of everything. Victor noticed that Ezekiel started spacing out. He just kept staring. He was thinking, remembering, and slowly reacting to what his mind was bringing up.

“But, what did you do for the Chessmen? Or, for your father’s business?”

Victor cleaned corn all day long for his father. He drove a tractor around, then cried and whined about it because it bored him to death. His curiosity about Ezekiel was through the roof, but the person across the table seemed to have disappeared.

Victor quickly poked his hand, and the Jackal returned to the room. He stared at Victor again, and he processed his question.

“I helped my father distribute weapons and technology out of Stark Industries. I also supplied these organizations with whatever they wanted.”

He pointed at all the symbols except for three.

He pointed at the symbol for H.Y.D.R.A. first. Then, he picked up the pen again and drew a circle around the symbol for the Ten Rings, and another circle around the emblem for S.H.I.E.L.D...

“These three organizations receive all sorts of product from me. They have broken off into so many splinter sections as well. I supply them all, and I have backlogged the distribution until I am much older...”

They would continue to receive their shipments until he was what? Forty years old? Ezekiel had to recall. He circled the symbol for H.Y.D.R.A. just to be thorough, and then he snapped the cap back on the pen.

“I was put in prison, because my father trained me to also distribute drugs, weapons, and people for these organizations as well.”

There was the kicker. Ezekiel held another blank stare, and Victor slowly swallowed the lump that started getting stuck in his throat.

...people?

His young mind wanted to believe that he misheard what Ezekiel said. The last part of the story really made Victor’s heart stop. Ezekiel wasn’t done with his confession, but he was convinced that their little date was officially over.

He had a small smile on his face, but he actually started feeling a little depressed. He was getting to the worst part, and his pace of story-telling started slowing down.

Ezekiel really didn’t want their date to end, but ...

“My father was intending to take over Stark Industries, and increase the operation. He needed Howard Stark to die, while he manipulated his way around his son.”

Tony.

Ezekiel took a moment to think about Victor’s “extended family”. It made it even more clear to him that their adorable date was over. He had to keep confessing tho, so the Jackal pressed on.

“Manipulating Tony was essential, because my father was getting nowhere as an employee. So, he fed into Tony’s interests, while I arranged someone from H.Y.D.R.A. to murder Howard Stark.”

That person was Bucky Barnes, but Ezekiel didn’t want to get into all of that. He was almost done with the story, and the sad feeling that he had started getting worse.

Victor was just staring at him. He looked like he had just been slapped across the face. Ezekiel hated seeing it, but he wasn’t surprised. He took in a deep breath, because the next batch of information was the hardest for him to confess.

“My father would intentionally supply drugs to your friend. He manipulated and abused him emotionally and sexually. He didn’t care that I was watching. I had been watching Tony Stark all my life.”

Ezekiel was supposed to eventually take his place. He learned to manipulate technology by watching Tony and Howard.

Victor felt like he died in that moment. His body felt like it sank toward the table, and it didn’t feel like he could lift himself back up. He almost started crying, because Tony was ...

Victor thought the world of Tony. He never saw him without a smile. He was always making him laugh, and...

What he heard broke his baby soul. Victor started feeling angry where he sat.

“Tony never had any useful information to offer my father about Stark Industries. That road became a dead end, and the assassination attempt on Howard Stark failed. I lost track of Tony, until he started living in Brooklyn.”

And now, we have come full circle. Victor felt like he couldn’t breathe, and Ezekiel briefly closed his eyes. He always told himself that he wasn’t normal, and what he thought only amplified for himself in that moment.

“Watching Tony, and running my father’s business is all I’ve ever known. I started watching him again when I found him in Brooklyn, but I didn’t want my father to know.”

Ezekiel was nineteen at the time. He started seeing things differently at that point, and he figured it had something to do with what he saw.

“I saw how he moved on, and started living with Steve Rogers. He was resilient and very happy living there. They both know what I’ve done.. so, we are not friends. We will probably never be like an extended family.”

He was basically telling Victor that the idea of dating him was a waste of time. Ezekiel hadn’t made up his mind yet, but telling Victor was his first step.

The White Jackal took that napkin in his hands. He started folding it in his hands over and over. Victor kept staring at him. He kept thinking about Tony, and something within him wanted to snap.

Victor wanted to yell at him, or punch him. He felt like he was set up, or something. Ezekiel had him all ready for...stuff, and now this? 

This ... shit? Victor couldn’t believe what he actually heard. I mean????????

He just brought his hands up toward his eyes for a sec. Victor slowly rubbed at them, and he tried very hard to keep the river of tears locked up in his head.

He could not stop thinking about Tony. Victor always considered Tony to be his favorite person. He adored him, and he couldn’t comprehend anyone hurting him.

The tears started slipping out against his hand, so the youngest Strange immediately formed a portal. Victor needed to leave. He had to disappear from that person, and think somewhere by himself.

Ezekiel expected that. He reflected on everything that he finally managed to say out loud. His thoughts about it wouldn’t cease, so he just stared at the empty chair that was in front of him.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	66. Golden Thing (Part 1)

Chapter Sixty-Six: Golden Thing (Part 1)

* * *

Steve was still standing in the middle of the stairs. Donna made her way up toward the top, but Steve developed a question for her.

He saw the way Bucky walked out, and he wondered why she sent them both away like that.

The soldier understood the Natasha thing, but Bucky seemed like the only one that was affected. It seemed like Donna was deliberating with Thor and Wong, and Steve really didn’t want them to leave him hanging.

Steve was there first, and he had something incredibly selfish that he needed to accomplish.

Thor and Wong were very aware of Steve’s mission, but Donna Strange crashed the party.

Steve loudly cleared his throat, and the three other people looked in his direction. Wong seriously rolled his saucy eyes, and Steve quickly brought his hands up to his hips.

Wong refused to help Steve, and that was fine. The blonde wasn’t in the mood for his terrible attitude anyway, so he turned his focus to Thor.

“Did you need something, Steve?”

Donna kinda forgot he was there. She didn’t intend to behave that way with him, because she knew that he was a good person. But, the young woman just up and moved out of her ex-boyfriend’s apartment because of him, so.......

She defined it as a gentle disregard.

Steve softly smiled. He kept his focus on Thor Odinson, and inwardly wished that he would remember their conversation. The demigod kept staring down at Steve.

He was wondering about a thing or two, and Thor even held a contemplative look on his face. He began to wonder if the noble looking soldier could survive a quarrel with him.

Thor just had a feeling....

“Yes. I needed to be shown the way to the Living Tribunal. I was asking about it, when..”

Steve brought his conversation to Donna, because she seemed like the only person that was actually paying attention. The blonde barely spoke out his request, because the damn door to the Sanctorum abruptly opened again.

Steve almost stomped his foot. He sighed very loudly when he turned around. He held a scowl, but his face changed immediately when he saw Victor.

Stephen’s youngest sibling walked in, and he looked very upset. Victor thought that he was going to be alone there. He glanced up the stairs and gasped when he saw Steve and his older sister.

Seeing them in that moment made Victor panic, so he immediately walked right back out the front door.

Wait, huh? Steve blinked a few times. He suddenly felt Donna breeze on by him. She yelled out for Victor, and took off after her baby brother. Steve immediately sucked in a short breath.

Oh boy.

The soldier slowly scratched the back of his neck, and he thought about following.

Steve figured that Donna had it handled, and that he shouldn’t intervene. He began to ponder Victor’s behavior, Bucky’s behavior, and then his own. Steve dwelled on that for a moment, then he quickly turned back around.

His eyes immediately locked onto Thor.

“Do you know how I can get to the Living Tribunal? A simple yes or no is all I need, please.”

Steve was tired of asking the same question. It was only bringing him eye rolls, and a bad mood.

Thor snapped out of his own river of thoughts, and he gently smiled at the soldier.

“Oh, well yes. Of course I know how to reach the Tribunal.”

Steve gently sighed. He brought his hand up toward his right eye and he slowly rubbed at the side of his forehead.

“Did you need me to take you to it?”

The Tribunal technically didn’t have a gender. Thor wasn’t sure if Steve was aware of that. Steve just continued to rub his hand over the side of his head, and he politely gave Thor his response.

“That would be wonderful, Thor. I really need you to do that.”

The mighty blonde stepped away from Wong. He started walking toward Steve, and it seemed like his smile was getting bigger.

Every step expanded Thor’s grin. Steve watched him stop beside him, and the Asgardian abruptly shook his hand.

“I’m very excited to escort you.”

Thor’s grip made Steve focus on their hands. He wasn’t sure if the demigod was testing the strength in his arm, or what?

Steve figured he just had a natural strength behind his handshake. The soldier smiled back, and he returned the gesture with the same amount of force.

“Wonderful. Where exactly is the Tribunal?”

Steve was curious. It felt like he was close, because Baron Mordo had the Tribunal in their presence almost immediately. Steve had no idea what the trick was, so there he was ...seeking help.

“His realm is light-years away.”

The colossal blonde brought his hand toward his side, and he made a very quick gesture. It surprised Steve, because the hammer that he had seen before suddenly appeared.

Back when he was learning to navigate all the “lessons in love”, Steve saw another version of Thor. The soldier was very aware of what that hammer could do.

Thor explained that they needed to leave the building, and that he was ready to go.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	67. Golden Thing (Part 2)

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Golden Thing (Part 2)

* * *

Steve followed Thor outside. There was a small nugget of satisfaction within him in that moment, because he realized that Wong was ditched by everyone.

Steve Rogers really did his best to like everyone. He liked Wong, but his current attitude just rubbed Steve the wrong way.

Anyway, the soldier followed the other blonde, and he watched him whip that hammer around by the strap. Thor kept looking up, until he focused on Steve.

“Hold onto something.”

Hold onto, what?? Steve didn’t feel prepared at all.He was busy glancing around for some trace of Donna Strange.

He wanted to ask her something about Bucky before they left, but Steve quickly grabbed onto whatever he could. That demigod started launching up.

Steve managed to catch Thor’s ankle, and yes he held on for dear life. They both started going up as far as the eye could see, and Steve started screaming.

He was not prepared, so he yelled out for Jesus to save his soul. That blonde was not ok with the thrill ride, and Thor’s laughter was making it worse.

He kept saying something about “humans”. Steve could hear him ask if he was human or immortal. The soldier didn’t have time for any questions.

He kept thinking that he was going to fall back toward Earth, or throw up. Steve was clutching onto that ankle, and slowly looking at all the space stuff that was flashing around beside him.

Thor’s laughter became louder, and he tried to tell Steve that he wasn’t going to fall out and die.

“You might collide into some space debris, but you’ll be fine. Happens all the time.”

Steve could seriously feel Thor’s gleeful grin. He couldn’t tell if he was joking around with him, or telling him something that was true.

They quickly maneuvered around a small moon, and Steve screamed out as loud as he could.

NOT FUNNY.

He started squeezing that ankle a little more at that point, and Thor started glancing down toward his extravagant boots.

He playfully laughed at Steve again, and then he forced himself to shoot through the cosmos at a faster speed.

Steve’s terrified screams couldn’t be heard back on earth, but someone could see the random trail in the sky that Thor caused.

Bucky Barnes was slowly walking. His left eye caught the thread of light, and he stared up at it for a little while. He was walking aimlessly, while Natasha walked with purpose.

They didn’t say anything to one another, and Bucky assumed she was leading him to their pick up point.

He didn’t really want to go anywhere, but he also didn’t want to be alone. The not-so-winter-soldier was planning on taking another job that would  take him overseas.

That was his solution, because New York was getting way too small. He didn’t want to keep running into people that he cared about, so he felt like it was time for him to jump ship.

Natasha was suddenly speaking beside him, but Bucky was staring up at the strange trail of light again. He registered that she started saying something, but his mind was too swamped to really tune in.

She was speaking into her cellphone. Bucky heard her say the oddest thing, so he suddenly arched an eyebrow. He slowed down his walking pace a bit, and stared directly at her.

“Wo bu yao tai xian... xie, xie..”

Bucky gave out a short laugh, because he realized the Widow speaking in a different language.

She ignored Bucky’s expression, of course, and she continued ordering some food.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he began to wonder when they would reach the pick up point. They had walked for centuries, and it felt like they just wandered into an unfriendly east side area..

Bucky started looking around as Natasha ended her phone call.

“Where the hell are we going?”

Bucky didn’t want to be out walking around all damn night. He was done with life, so he kinda snapped at the only person that was in his presence.

Natasha stared at him briefly, but she liked to watch where she was walking.

“I am heading home. You are just mindlessly following me.”

She asked him if he was ready to “head in” but she may or may not have been going in the same direction. Bucky just assumed she was doing, what?

Walking him home? Aww... how cute. Natasha kept smiling. Her smile started getting a little playful, and Bucky took notice. 

Natasha noticed that he noticed, and she kept on walking. The Widow started thinking about the virtuous Donna Strange, and how upset that skirt would be...if she...

“Wow, you actually have a home? There’s another shock for the day.”

His day sucked. Bucky still “mindlessly” followed after that red head, and he slowly started returning the smile that she gave him.

....

He only returned it a little bit, because she was friggen shady.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	68. Golden Thing (Part 3)

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Golden Thing (Part 3)

* * *

Victor quickly DITCHED his older sister. He booked it out of the Sanctorum as fast as he could, then he transported himself somewhere far away.

Donna stopped her pursuit when she saw Victor disappear. She didn’t know what happened, but she didn’t think it was a good idea to force it out of him.

The older sister was getting worried, but she decided to retreat, for the moment.

Victor wanted to get as far away from New York as possible, because he knew that his sister could pick up his energy. The Baby Strange tried to think of a place where he could be alone.

Not a single location for solitude crossed his young mind. Victor realized that he didn’t have a place of his own where he could hide. He only “lived” in the X-Mansion, or with his older bro.

He “moved out” into the Sanctorum, but clearly that wasn’t a place where he could escape.

Victor thought about booking a stupid hotel room, but that wasn’t helping him process all of his misery. His mind kept sinking back to a place he went just a short while ago.

He was out in some busy part of the city, and it felt like he was completely alone with someone. Victor didn’t even want to think about his stupid name, or remember his voice ever again.

Turns out, he wasn’t alone with that person at all... but..

Victor kept remembering how it felt, and he started getting very overwhelmed. It felt like he was set up, over some stupid shit.

His heart really started hurting, so he made up his mind about where he wanted to go. Victor was hopping from place to place to avoid his sister, but then his soul settled on a place to crash for the night.

Victor suddenly transported himself to the house where he grew up. He placed himself right on his old bed in Nebraska, and he thought that he broke it when he crashed down on it.

Oh well. That overwhelming feeling he had in his body wouldn’t quit. Victor quietly sat up on his old bed, and he brought his legs up more toward his chest.

His parents were out on the front porch with a few other relatives. Luckily, none of them heard the noise that Victor made.

He didn’t care if they did, because he was sulking. Victor was dwelling over everything that some person just threw in his face. Victor wiped a few bullshit tears off of his face, and he roughly shoved his hand in his front pocket.

He decided to torture himself some  more, so he brought out a crumpled up piece of paper. It had that person’s name written on it, and a bunch of other stuff that they exchanged and wrote.

Victor specifically looked at what some person wrote about removing his suit. That person told him that he wanted to remove it, for him.

He kept telling himself that “some person” out there, was full of shit. There had to be a clever game at play with his decision.

Oh, oh really? Hold on. Story time informed Victor that his older brother identified some top secret crime lord, person.

Wow. How incredibly random. So, now all of a sudden ... that top secret crime lord person wanted to reveal himself, for him?

Yeah right. Victor told himself that something was up. His baby heart was breaking, and he felt very stupid.

He told himself that the person only spent time with him because he wanted to get to Stephen. Victor convinced himself that it was all about him. 

Wasn’t it always? His mind kept swirling around in a very negative direction, because that was how he always secretly felt.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	69. Golden Thing (Part 4)

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Golden Thing (Part 4)

* * *

Ezekiel continued to stare at that empty chair. He messed around with the napkin in his hands for quite a while, until he heard the door to the restaurant abruptly open.

The Jackal could also see a ton of lights travel all over the walls. They were from the sea of vehicles that suddenly pulled up outside the building.

He wasn’t surprised at all. The calvary heard his lengthy confession, and there they were to take him away.

Ezekiel didn’t pull his focus away from the chair. He kept staring at it, even after he heard Nick Fury’s voice.

“Stand up.”

Ezekiel closed his eyes, and he complied with what Fury said. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t “waiting” for anyone to make any sort of move.

He wanted to keep Ezekiel Stane in custody, but he was overruled by Charles Xavier. Thanks to the Jackal’s open confession, Fury had something else on him, and now Ezekiel was all his.

Fury wanted to know everything. He quickly took that napkin out of his hands while Ezekiel was being handcuffed, and he looked it over. 

One of his agents checked Ezekiel, and mentioned that he didn’t have any weapons.

Fury was in a very bad mood. He knew why Xavier wanted to ease all of that information out of Ezekiel’s head. He didn’t want to traumatize him any further, but the director thought that Charles was becoming too soft.

S.H.I.E.L.D. took the White Jackal’s confession very seriously. So, he was taken into custody, and the leader began assembling the best of his crew. 

Natasha Romanoff was one of the first agents that he called. She was just walking up to the door of her apartment.

The Black Widow had the keys to the door in her hand, while Bucky Barnes quietly stood beside her. He was standing pretty close, but Natasha didn’t mind.

They started walking closer, and talking a little more after they picked up the take-out order. Natasha asked Bucky to carry the food, and she welcomed him to spend the night.

Bucky was extremely hesitant at first. He wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. I mean, a strong handsome man sleeping over at a young woman’s apartment? What would the neighbors think? 

Bucky almost laughed at his own thought. He didn’t give a shit about her neighbors. The uneasy feeling he had about it disappeared when Natasha told him that he could sleep on the couch.

She was being very nice. Bucky noticed that she started acting a little differently toward him, and it... He didn’t mind it, and he thought it over as he carried the food.

Her apartment complex was set up just like the one that he had in Brooklyn. The similarity was bizarre, but everything in the space felt flipped. It felt like everything was in the opposite direction, and he thought it was weird.

Natasha unlocked the door, but her cellphone immediately started ringing. She let Bucky into her home, and she slowly brought the phone up to her ear.

Natasha set her keys in a small yellow bowl, then she walked up to Bucky. She gently took the food from his hands, and she stared at him for just a moment. That red head was listening to what was being said in her ear.

Bucky smiled, and he kept staring back at her. He thought about removing the bulkiest part of his gear when his hands were free, but he decided to look around the front part of her apartment instead.

Bucky Barnes looked at that yellow bowl. He slowly swallowed down a thought or two, and then he looked toward the left side of her place. Natasha Romanoff had a houseplant, and oh look... it wasn’t dead.

The not-so-winter-soldier smiled at that, and he kept looking around. The apartment looked very plain, and it reminded him of the way his place used to look. He didn’t see any pictures out on display, so he slowly brought his eyes back in her direction.

She was still listening to someone. Natasha gave out a short sigh, and she acknowledged that she actually didn’t report back in. She was told that their job was done for the night.

“I went home, for a bit. Barton returned.. but..”

Yeah, Natasha was acting pretty weird. Bucky kept staring at her. He watched her take a few steps toward their food, but then she stopped. The Widow said that she would return to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, and that she needed another pick up point.

“Yes, he’s here.”

Romanoff glanced up at Bucky, but then her eyes quickly retreated back toward the food. It felt like they were in trouble or something. 

Uhhhh....

Bucky blinked a few times. He heard her say that they would be at the pick up point in ten minutes. She said that Ezekiel Stane had been arrested, and that they weren’t taking orders from Charles Xavier anymore.

Wait. ARRESTED? Wasn’t he somewhere out there, with Victor? 

And, apparently....Bucky was going back in as well? That was news to the not-so-winter-soldier. He suddenly felt a little drained.

Normally, he would have been extremely irritated, but Bucky planned to follow after that red head. He unintentionally started thinking about how he wanted to stay beside her.

He also intentionally planned to friggen eat too, so he quietly told her to make it a twenty minute pick up instead. 

Bucky’s eyes settled on that yellow bowl by the door again. It really made him feel like there was some bizarre coincidence going on, or something.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	70. Golden Thing (Part 5)

Chapter Seventy: Golden Thing (Part 5)

* * *

Steve was taken up to the pearly gates. He thought of that immediately once he saw the enchanted looking area where they stopped.

“Perhaps you are an Eternal? Are you aware of what that is?”

Thor was laying down on a large rock, and Steve was following his lead. The two of them were looking into the area where the Tribunal came from, but Thor said that they couldn’t just walk in.

Steve registered what Thor asked, and the blonde looked over at the demigod.

...huh?

“A what? No. I don’t know anything about that. So, Tony is in there?”

He told Thor why he was there. Steve pointed out toward the shiny mist. He could see some movement going on within all the mist, and he also could see something very large off in the distance.

He was sure that it was the Tribunal, so he started feeling nervous. Thor kept staring at him, and that didn’t help.

“I constantly channel the Vishanti entity named Oshtur. Maybe, that’s why you think that way?”

Steve wasn’t sure what an “Eternal” was, but he figured it had something to do with the divine looking place in front of them.

Thor pondered the Oshtur thing. Hmm... it really wasn’t what he was feeling. The colossal blonde just maintained his smile, and then he let the subject go. He looked out toward all the clouds and mist that were in front of them, and then he decided to explain why they were laying low.

“We are intruding on this land. Think of this mist as a frequency. Once you truly step into this realm, the Tribunal will know that you have invaded. One thing will happen to you.”

Thor brought up one finger. One thing was going to happen to Steve Rogers because of his noble attempt. He was doing something for love, and Thor was all for it.

But, such devotion comes with a cost. He made sure Steve was fully focused before he continued speaking. Steve was all ears. He looked at Thor’s hand, and then he slowly looked at his goofy face.

“You are either going to be executed by the Tribunal for entering without an invite, or ...your heart will be sent back home.”

Which one would it be? Thor smiled as he wondered. Steve’s expression fell flat. What? He started staring at that one finger as he processed the nonsense that he heard.

“Are you pulling my leg?”

Steve sounded angry when he was asked. He was getting really tired of people jerking him around. The soldier was already in a bit of a bad mood.

Thor looked directly at Steve’s leg, and he suddenly roared with laughter. He thought the comment was hilarious.

“I’m not even near your leg. It must have been a tiny creature, or something beside you.”

Thor kept looking, and he was surprised when Steve sighed out toward the heavens. The other blonde seemed a little upset. Thor didn’t take offense, but he was concerned.

“NO, that means... are you lying to me? Pulling my leg means, telling lies.”

“No. Never. You will either die because you entered, or your heart will return home.”

“My actual heart?? Or, does that mean my whole body?”

Steve touched his own chest. He didn’t like the idea of his heart being ripped out, or whatever. Thor seemed very poetic with his language, so Steve had to be sure.

Thor’s smile softly returned. He disliked being asked if he was lying. Thor never lied, he just playfully discussed. The demigod recovered from the subject, and he gave Steve a straight answer.

“The Tribunal will either send you home, or kill you. Those are your only options. So, are you willing to die for this?”

Steve was not invited there, so he would be sent away. Thor reflected on what Steve wanted to do, and he thought it was wonderful. He wished that he felt that passionately about someone.

Thor wanted someone to die for.

Steve looked back out toward the shiny mist. He pondered over his terrible options, and he gave a very short sigh.

“Tony is in there. I can feel him right now on this rock. I don’t think the Tribunal will kill me, but...”

Who really knew? Steve sighed again. Another question formed in his head, but he took another moment for himself and he tried to pinpoint Tony’s energy.

“How long do you think I have before this Tribunal forces me out? Do you know?”

“A Valkyrie once survived this, and it is a story told amongst my people. She claims that you only have enough time for the Tribunal to acknowledge you, then change its face into the one that decides your fate. So, you maybe have a minute?”

Maybe? Ehhh, Thor’s goofy face got even worse. Steve smiled that time, and he started looking out into the misty void again.

One minute. He figured he had one minute to get to that “Thunderbird”, and the idea of that was completely crazy.

Steve started overthinking, and Thor watched him close his eyes. The soldier pushed his torso up off that rock, and he started stretching around as he decided what to do.

Thor already knew what he was gonna do. He admired Steve’s dedication to love, and his stupid decision. The colossal blonde rejoiced loudly because there wasn’t another word said between them.

Steve Rogers took off into that misty void barrier of doom, and he didn’t look back.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	71. Golden Thing (Part 6)

Chapter Seventy-One: Golden Thing (Part 6)

* * *

Victor Strange was still sitting up at the top of his old bed. He was hugging his right knee, and finalizing his thoughts about the person that was currently on his last nerve.

It wasn’t his brother, that emotion had passed. Victor couldn’t believe what appeared in his mind once shit hit the fan.

He understood that he harbored a bit of resentment toward his older brother. That shit wasn’t Stephen’s fault, so Victor found a way to get over it.

He thought about how amazing his older brother was, and how much they had gone through.

Some, PERSON out there wasn’t going to make him resent his older bro. No friggen way. Victor brought his chin up off his knee. He figured out a place where they could be alone, and he felt a little stupid after he remembered.

Victor took in a deep breath, and he adjusted the way he was sitting up on his bed. He slowly exhaled, and focused on some crime lord. The baby sorcerer was surprised when he quickly located him, because Ezekiel was sitting at a silver table.

It looked like he was chained to it, and Victor focused into the room a little more.

The “crime lord” was being asked questions. Victor thought he recognized the man that was asking him for just one sequence of a shipment. 

It looked like Nick Fury, and he seemed pretty mad. 

“Just start from Stark tech, and take me through how it becomes integrated through S.H.I.E.L.D....”

Victor saw Fury’s hands as he asked the crime lord his questions. The director kept pointing at the napkin, and it seemed like they had been talking for hours. 

Ezekiel looked blank, and completely withdrawn. 

“Just take me through the steps. That’s all you have to do. How do you get from rounding up mutants here, to distributing them around like paper towels, here.”

He pointed at two of those symbols, but Ezekiel just closed his eyes. He seemed very closed off toward Fury, and it was frustrating everyone in that building.

There was a jurisdictional shit storm going on at the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. Nick Fury and Charles Xavier were about to fight to the death, but that wasn’t what Victor was interested in seeing.

He wanted to talk to the crime lord, alone.

So, what was a baby sorcerer to do? He couldn’t be seen how he was in the room, but he wanted everyone to see what they were dealing with.

He detached the metal from Ezekiel’s wrists, and he let the chains that were attached to his arms and feet hit the floor.

Fury saw it. He freaked, and Victor smiled.

He quietly spoke out an incantation on his bed, and he quickly brought some crime lord into his bedroom. Victor just plucked him right out of that interrogation room, and he placed him on the foot of his bed.

Ezekiel was staring at his hands before he was taken, so he looked up from them, and he quietly gasped. He was very shocked to see Victor, and even more shocked when something started happening around them.

Victor started closing the two of them up in the Mirror Dimension, but he waited until the realm was completely closed.

It...

Ezekiel looked all around them. The bed he was on remained in place, but everything else became distorted.

“How are you doing this?”

His mind only processed things that were constructed with technology. Energy manipulation, and magic was very foreign for Ezekiel.

He stared at Victor. The dimension closed up around them, so the baby Strange felt safe saying something while they were in his old bedroom.

They were actually alone, so Victor didn’t intend to hold back. He kept sitting up at the top of his bed, and he stared at some person in front of him.

“Don’t play with me, Ezekiel. It won’t end well for you.”

Victor wasn’t playing games. He could speak out one incantation right at that moment, and annihilate that body right where it was set.

He felt like he was the one that was the most dedicated to the Mystic Arts, while his other two siblings chased after silly boys and girls. Victor had put in the friggen work, and now he was getting angry.

“Tell me what you want to do, then do it.”

Ezekiel kept looking at him. He thought about how his father met his end. He died by the hands of that ... magic. The Jackal was certain that if he had any games to play, then he would definitely meet his end at the hands of Victor.

There really was only one thing that he wanted to do. Ezekiel wanted to somehow get free, but he didn’t know how to undo the immense system that he built.

It took him his entire life to build it, and unpacking what he did was destroying what was left of his soul.

That bed wasn’t really big enough for the both of them. Ezekiel looked down at the dark blanket, and then he brought his attention back toward Victor.

The Jackal slowly smiled, and he decided to lean a little more in Victor’s direction. His plan worked, because the baby Strange leaned toward him as well.

Ezekiel gently kissed his date, and all of that tough talk seemed to slip off somewhere. It just disappeared, because Victor let him move up toward the top part of the bed.

He let Ezekiel take over that space. It felt good to be alone in there with him, so Victor fell back into the reckless behavior that he had in the city.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	72. Golden Thing (Part 3)

Chapter Seventy-Two: Golden Thing (Part 7)

* * *

...

Tony was chillin.  
  


More or less. His body was in the same realm as the Living Tribunal, but he wasn’t doing much. The brunette was actually hovering above the ground just a little bit.

His body was currently cycling energy. Tony’s energy and life force was circulating around between him and what was beginning to be a little baby Starchild.

He called her that as they both floated around. At that point, she was just a faint ball of light. Tony’s eyes were wide open, and he could see her.

He was also able to communicate with her, and he could move his body .. sometimes. In that moment, he felt like he could turn his head toward his right side.  
  


Tony slowly turned his head, and he stared out at something that was moving.

He suddenly felt that Golden Thing. His Summer Boy was out there, somewhere. Tony tried to focus on that sunshiny energy, but his body was very fixated on fueling the orb of light.

Tony heard his name being called, and he knew that it was Steve. The brunette tried to hold his eyes open, because he saw a very clean shirt just up ahead of him.

Steve called out for Tony again, but then his time in that dimension officially ran out. The Tribunal’s eyes focused on an intruder, and it immediately sent the soldier back home.

His descent from “heaven” was immediate. Steve’s feet sank deep into the sand as he landed back on earth. The soldier comprehended what happened as he stared out at a very familiar section of the ocean.

It was night time, and the ocean tide was pushed far back from where he landed. He actually saw Tony during his sprint, so he brought his eyes back up toward the dark sky.

Steve saw him, but he wasn’t done with his “Thunderbird” hunt. The blonde glanced behind him for a moment. He looked at the Santa Monica house, and he noticed that a few of the lights were on.

Stephen and Clea were staying there, and he hoped that Clea was feeling a little better. If she wasn’t, that was understandable.

The soldier wrapped his body up with the technology that he kept hidden, and he took off from the beach.

He decided to head back, and gain himself another minute of the Tribunal’s time. Steve told himself that he would take that minute as many times as he possibly could, and he planned to get closer to Tony every damn time.

The consequence was worth the risk, so he started heading back up. He had some stubborn moments, and he wanted to catch another glimpse of Tony.

As he journeyed, he started wondering what his older self called him. Everyone seemed to have a flirty little nickname for Tony.

Steve had a long journey ahead of him, so he started processing silly things like that. He had an inward buzz going on over what he had already accomplished, so the soldier wasn’t going to give up.

Call him crazy, but he really could do it all day.  


Steve laughed at his inner bout with insanity, and he quickly travelled back up for another round.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	73. Golden Thing (Part 8)

Chapter Seventy-Three: Golden Thing (Part 8)

* * *

...... Seriously?

Bucky Barnes was slowly sneaking in a few bites of the take-out, and he kept offering some to Natasha. She kept declining, but the not-so-winter-soldier was very persistent.

They both were taken alllllllll the way back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, and now they were watching the interrogation of the White Jackal.

Bucky kept getting frustrated, for four very different reasons.

First reason: HE WAS HUNGRY.

Second reason: HE HAD TO LEAVE NATASHA’S APARTMENT.

Third reason: EZEKIEL DISTRIBUTED MUTANTS AND PEOPLE AROUND AND THEY COULDN’T GET HIM TO EXPLAIN JACK SHIT.

Fourth reason: EZEKIEL WAS HARMLESS.

Bucky could sense that he was, and he didn’t have any spooky psychic powers. He could just tell that the Jackal regretted what he did, and he was lost on how to correct it.

Forcing information out of him felt like a bad idea, but Bucky also understood why Nick Fury was in a hurry.

People were still out there being preyed upon, and they didn’t deserve to still fall victim to Ezekiel’schessboard themed empire.

Obidiah Stane was no longer in the picture, so everything was falling onto Ezekiel’s lap.

Bucky also held some troubling thoughts, and it had to do with something that was said about .......

.......

....... Tony.

Bucky didn’t hear a confession that was made in some China Town restaurant, but he was briefed on what was said.

Obidiah’s abuse of Tony was mentioned, and it was labeled as a delicate subject. Fury didn’t want his crew openly discussing anything relating to Tony Stark..

.....

So, Bucky held a blank expression, as he slowly took another bite of food. He tried to give Natasha the fork full first. She was sitting beside him, and she quickly declined his offer.

She needed to friggen eat, and sleep. The not-so-winter-soldier was given a dose of that super-serum, just like Steve. So he was just mentally drained from all the bullshit, but he could tell that Natasha was tired.

Suddenly, something “magical” happened in the interrogation room, and Ezekiel was removed.

He just.... vanished.

Bucky immediately thought of Victor Strange, so the bothered brunette stood up and cleared his throat. Done. No more.

“Well folks, that’s a wrap for me.”

Bucky was officially over anything related to Ezekiel Stane, and he inwardly decided to call it a night. People were freaking out around him, and scrambling over what happened.

Not Bucky. Fuck that, he was done.

He smiled at that red head, and he just left the room. They couldn’t just “woosh” themselves back to Natasha’s apartment. They weren’t Wizard people.

It would take them an eternity to get back to the lower east side of the city, so Bucky began his retreat to the barracks. Natasha followed him. She started saying something about Nick Fury, but Bucky wasn’t listening.

He needed to go. He wanted to get out of his gear, and just, stop. So, Bucky rubbed his face, and he kept on marching toward his small room.

He forced the door open. Bucky didn’t even turn on the light, but he threw away what was left of the cold food. Bucky also removed the top part of his gear, and he tossed it as far away as he could.

It hit the ground hard, then he relaxed his body on his semi-comfortable bed. Natasha stopped by his door, and she softly sighed. She watched him toss his stuff around his small space, and she suppressed the urge to laugh at him.

Bucky Barnes was a moody brat. And apparently, when he was done with something, then the man was truly done. Natasha liked that about him, and her eyebrow began to arch upward. She watched him attempt to remove his left boot.

He was being extremely lazy, and foolishly trying to pry it off his foot with his other boot. Bucky was struggling, so Natasha roughly rolled her eyes.

She pushed off from the doorframe, and she quickly snatched up that stupid leg. She held his boot against her waist, and she started unlacing it.

Bucky immediately held a sharp grin, but Natasha refused to look at him. She just focused on untying the boot, and then she ripped that thing off of his foot.

Natasha threw it, and she kinda glared at him. Bucky’s smile started getting even bigger, because the Widow was there in his tiny bedroom.

He wanted her to stay there with him. Bucky wanted that more than anything. She tossed his leg aside, but then she picked up the other boot, and she repeated the same routine.

Only, she was untying that boot at a much slower pace. Natasha started looking in a different direction, and the reality of where she was started sinking in.

She just... followed him. It was effortless, and it just happened. The Widow processed that, and she finally looked down at the person below her. He was a handsome person, and it was getting hard to ignore. 

Natasha was holding Bucky’s leg up and her eyes made a quick glance over toward the door. 

Bucky didn’t care if it was closed or not. He wanted her in there with him, and he almost told her that. He felt like he didn’t have to. The not-so-winter-soldier looked at the person holding his leg, and then... he waited.

Bucky had a weakness for women, but he was always a gentleman about it. He wasn’t going to sarcastically tell her that she didn’t have to follow him, or help him undress.

The sarcasm was tempting, but the two of them didn’t get that far. His second boot hit the floor, but that red head finally went where she wanted to go. 

She quietly climbed onto that bed. She maneuvered on top of Bucky, and she started making a move on that moody brat. Natasha started kissing him, and he welcomed her silent advance.

He immediately touched her face as they kissed. Bucky gripped her hair, and he really took in what she was doing. It felt like a spider was moving in. They slowly kissed one another, while she continued to help him out of his gear and clothes. 

She planned to get to the door eventually, but Natasha’s focus was currently locked on the person below her. Bucky would not stop kissing her lips, or her face. 

He quietly told her that he wanted her very friggen badly, and she decided that kissing him felt good. 

Natasha was in the mood for it all to feel very “friggen” good, so she worked on getting his belt and pants off his skin.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	74. Golden Thing (Part 9)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***slightly graphic chapter warning**

Chapter Seventy-Four: Golden Thing (Part 9)

* * *

Victor’s face was burning up. He had it pressed up against Ezekiel’s shoulder, because somehow his skin there was cold.

The rest of that crime lord’s body was a different story, because it was getting very warm for them on that bed. They were finally being intimate, and exploring one another. But, the two of them just couldn’t...

... get it...

..right...

...

The truth was, they didn’t know what they were doing. Victor and Ezekiel knew exactly what they wanted to be doing, but executing it in that moment was a challenge for them both.

They also suffered from being extremely nervous, inexperienced, and basically introverted. It was....

Well, Ezekiel learned a lot about what to do from watching Steve Rogers, but he couldn’t exactly say that out loud to anyone on the planet.

Victor could not know that information, but the relationship between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark was his only guide. Ezekiel watched them have sex in their apartment, a lot... and he couldn’t believe some of the stuff that Steve would do.

Steve was very possessive, and Ezekiel felt like he could relate to that. He inwardly emulated the quiet soldier, and he didn’t want anyone out there to know. He even gave Victor a small mark on his chest when they first started.

Steve secretly did that to Tony, all the time. Ezekiel knew that Tony really enjoyed it. He enjoyed everything that Steve did to him, and they kept the marks hidden beneath his clothing.

Steve didn’t mark him up for anyone else to see, and it was something that was shared only between the two of them.

Or, so they thought. Ezekiel started thinking about how reactive Tony always was for Steve. It was something that he wanted to make Victor feel. He felt like such a freak in that moment.

Ezekiel’s mind recalled what he witnessed... and everything that he wanted to replicate. It caused a serious river of guilt to build up within him.

Ezekiel’s anxiety about it kicked in, and a deep frustration began to rush out.

Victor listened to Ezekiel suddenly gasp out against his neck. The guilt showed up way too quickly for him, and the affect of it broke to the surface.

The Baby Strange quickly tried to look at his face. He sensed that something spooked him, and he wanted Ezekiel to know that it was fine. They really struggled in the beginning, but the wrinkles were ironing out.

He told him that he didn’t want him to stop. Victor said that it was getting easier. It wasn’t hurting anymore, but he was locked out of the actual struggle. Ezekiel slowly looked him in the eyes, and some additional warmth filled his skin.

He really was attracted to Victor. The Baby Strange brought emotions out of him that he had never felt before. Ezekiel decided to let go of his thoughts about Tony and Steve, then he just tried to start again.

Victor closed his eyes quickly, and he pulled Ezekiel’s lower body in more toward him. He wanted to feel him ... all the way, and it was getting easier.

Victor also reminded himself that he had to manage his control on the Mirror Dimension. He couldn’t have it disappear and expose what he was doing on his old bed.

His father would straight up murder them both, then bury them in the corn field.

Uhhh, that thought quickly diminished, because Ezekiel quietly told him that he should turn over, and it made Victor’s face melt down toward his pillow.

He didn’t expect to hear that. Victor was glad for the communication, so he slowly kissed those warm lips. He needed to know what that crime lord really wanted to do to him.

They were feeling each other out, spelling out needs and wants, and basically doing some physical research. Victor thought of silly things like that, as Ezekiel returned his kiss.

He returned it, and gave Victor the room he needed to turn over. Once that change was made, the situation took a different turn. Ezekiel worked himself back inside Victor’s lower half, and he listened to him gasp out against his bed.

It just hit different at that angle. Victor breathed out a second time, and he even brought his hand up toward his mouth. That “crime lord’s” movement became easier, and Victor felt him move all the way in.

It made them both open up to what they were doing, and their nervous movements started getting a little less controlled. The Baby Strange kept his face hidden against his pillow after he felt that crime lord’s cock slip in deep.

Ezekiel couldn’t help it. Thoughts about his secret guide returned to him, because his body really started feeling good. Steve normally had Tony in that position, because it clearly got the job done.

Fuck, he felt like such a freak. Ezekiel breathed out as he eased himself into Victor. He was expressing how good it felt, and he slowly brought his mouth down to Victor’s shoulder.

Hearing Ezekiel, and feeling him like that kept the youngest Strange in a very quiet state. He wanted to please Ezekiel, and it felt like it was working.

Victor roughly bit his own lip, and he gave in to the urge to touch himself. He touched his own arousal, and he found it hard to hide how his body started feeling. 

Something seemed to have sparked in that crime lord, and Victor felt the change in his pace. It made him almost scream, but he didn’t. Victor wanted it even harder. He almost said it, but he forced himself to keep it together.

That distraction was slipping, because Ezekiel really started emulating Steve. His secret hero was helping him get off, and guiding him on a path toward pleasuring his adorable date.

Victor started getting very hard, because the repeated stimulation started building up. He said several things against his pillow, and he mumbled something about checking the “Mirror Dimension”.

Ezekiel didn’t know what that was, and he wasn’t very coherent in that moment. He forced Victor up off that bed, and he made his hips move in a certain direction.

They both were feeling it, and riding it out just like Ezekiel remembered. He had to chew on the back of Victor’s shoulder, and rub his cock until that Baby Strange started talking.

He started saying that he wanted it even harder, and that he wanted Ezekiel to fuck him when they first met. That confession made some crime lord smile, and it made him think that Victor was only his.

The obsessive nature that he shared with Steve flared up, and he repeated something that he heard the soldier say.

What he said made Victor’s body even hotter, and it made the air that he had in his lungs disappear. Victor actually spaced out, and his face slipped back down on the bed.

A hot cock was pumping into him, and all he wanted to do was take it. Victor wanted to hear Ezekiel breathe, just like that..

And, he wanted to feel him cum, just like that... 

Victor was spaced. He felt drugged out on what was said, and everything that Ezekiel did. That crime lord kept himself in the same place. He kept that cock in deep, because he tried to catch his breath.

He looked down at Victor’s body, and the Jackal gripped his silky skin. Ezekiel kept looking, then he checked in on his secret marks. His idol would have left four more. 

He wanted to tell Victor that Steve Rogers was more of a freak than he was, but Ezekiel refrained. He slowly brought himself out of his adorable date, and he tried to steady himself, somehow.

Victor kept staring at the right side of his bed. He couldn’t believe how he behaved, and what he actually said out loud. The Baby Strange could think of only one thing in that moment, but he had to reaffirm the dimension around them.

Other than that, Victor kept thinking that he wanted Ezekiel to do it again. He developed a bit of a hunger for what he felt.

He looked over at him. Ezekiel tried to settle down his nerves beside him, and Victor almost said it.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	75. Golden Thing (Part 10)

Chapter Seventy-Five: Golden Thing (Part 10)

* * *

Steve navigated his own way back up to the mystical realm that housed the Living Tribunal. That cosmic entity sent him home, but the soldier was back with a vengeance.

.. just kidding. Steve was pretty close to having a panic attack. He thought that the Tribunal would kill him for intruding again, but...

Steve showed up anyway. He returned to the mist, and he didn’t see Thor Odinson anywhere. The soldier figured the other blonde went back to see if he survived.

Steve stared into the mist as his crazy plan formulated in his head. He looked upon the massive gold entity way up ahead, and then he started looking toward his left.

Tony’s energy was in a different direction, but Steve took a calculated guess, and he formed a portal. He stepped in, then he quickly adapted to where he ended up.

Steve locked onto his precious target, and he started hauling ass to get closer to Tony. 

Steve noticed something immediately. Tony was still all spaced out, but the glowing orb beside him was bigger. It was much bigger, and Steve started yelling his name.

Tony registered Steve’s voice. He looked up from the orb of light, and he slowly turned his head. The brunette was telling a story in that moment, but it was interrupted.

The Starchild needed to know exactly who the Tinkerbell Princess was, and why Tony always called her that behind her back. It amused the brunette to no end, but the story was currently paused in his mind.

He saw that shirt again. It made Tony’s heartbeat increase, but then ...his summer boy suddenly disappeared.

Steve crash landed back into the sand, and he roughly coughed out for all to hear. It felt like the Tribunal knocked his ass back down to earth with much more force that time, and Steve needed a minute to catch his breath.

Stephen Strange watched him fall from grace, and he gave out a short laugh. He also watched him crawl his way back up.  


Steve got back up, and the demoted sorcerer slowly exhaled against the California air. Stephen was standing on the back porch, and he kept watching Steve’s bizarre behavior.

The soldier flew back up as high as Stephen could see, and then he just disappeared, doing who knows what...

Steve was nuts. Stephen thought of that, as he looked down at his little drug supply. He was a bit on edge, so the Ex-Sorcerer Supreme decided to smoke some weed.

He didn’t do it all the time, so... get over it.

Stephen kept staring out at the beach, and he was surprised to hear the sliding glass door open up behind him. Clea was finally awake, but she wasn’t very present.

She just woke up, and wandered out of the guest bedroom. She started looking everywhere for Stephen, and she kept the Cloak of Levitation draped over her body.

It still didn’t have any life to it, but she held it close. She didn’t want to remove it, because it felt like she was being held by Stephen.

He quickly looked at her when she walked up, and he gently started kissing the side of her face. Stephen didn’t want to bombard his wife with a bunch of contact. 

He was very worried about her, and it was killing him. Stephen hid his face against her beautiful hair, and he almost broke down right there on the fancy porch.

Clea brought her arms out from beneath the lifeless cloak, and she slowly brought her husband’s body toward her. She wasn’t feeling better at all, but she needed to feel Stephen’s warmth.

He moved where she wanted. Stephen embraced his dream girl, and he began to tell her how sorry he was. It was too friggen much, and Stephen’s heart felt broken.

Clea almost said something. She closed her eyes, but a bunch of tears just slipped down instead. She couldn’t say anything in that moment, but her eyes spotted something peculiar.

Steve Rogers suddenly fell from the sky, and he crash landed onto the sand. Clea gave out a quick gasp, as Stephen quietly laughed against her head.

They both watched Steve’s crazy ass stand back up. He brushed off as much sand as he could, and he seemed to give himself an adorable little pep talk, or something.

Clea and Stephen watched him head back up toward the heavens, and it made the demoted sorcerer laugh again. His laughter stopped when his wife reached her hand out toward his tiny drug stash.

She picked up Stephen’s weed, and she slowly brought it toward her quiet lips. Clea had tried Stephen’s medicine once or twice before. She felt like it would remedy what she was feeling, so she inhaled Stephen’s herbal cure.

“What is he doing?”

Clea returned the marijuana, and her voice registered in Stephen’s mind. He took it in for a moment, then he gave her a soft kiss. Clea returned it, and she kept his body close. 

He told her that he wasn’t sure what Steve was trying to accomplish, but his obsession for Tony clearly knew no bounds.

It amused Stephen on so many levels. He gave the absurdity some additional thought, and then he decided to summarize what Steve Rogers was actually doing.

“He’s defying the Tribunal. Defying everything.”

...

Steve clearly didn’t give a fuck....

...

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	76. Dream Girl (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***This is another slightly graphic chapter folks ***

Chapter Seventy-Six: Dream Girl (Part 1)

* * *

Natasha Romanoff was secretly hiding two things about herself. First, she had a very soft heart, but she hid it very well.

Second, she had a weakness for a certain stock of men. The Widow craved what she was getting in that moment, and Bucky Barnes was just her type.

Would she ever admit that to him? Probably not. He was currently making her gasp out into that dark room, and causing her to cling onto his messy hair.

She “probably” wanted Bucky just as much as he wanted her, and she wasn’t going to let some pretty skirt casually stay over at his apartment, either.

The red head did not want that “other woman” getting anything from him. She tossed him aside, andso... their current behavior was fair play.

Natasha planned to call Donna Strange out on her self righteous bullshit eventually, but the Widow was pretty busy.She was busy keeping Bucky preoccupied, and enjoying the feel of his mouth.

He was holding her hips in place, and pleasing her with his sarcastic tongue. They went back and forth between sex and foreplay, but the not-so-winter-soldier kept bringing her back to that position.

Her knees were just over his shoulders, and all the oral stimulation was making her feel good, and relaxed. It was the third time he did it, and his charm was gaining more traction.

Natasha kept her eyes closed. Her free hands went from his hair toward the wall, because she started moving slowly over that mouth.

She wanted to feel his cock again, and Bucky was very smart about it. He clearly knew his way around a woman’s body, and he understood that she needed to make all the moves.

He “neglected” himself on purpose, and it started feeling like he was drawing her into his own sort of web. Bucky made Natasha want it again, and he proudly gave it up. He slowly released her hips, and he let her travel back down toward his waist.

He lost his damn mind when she slipped him back in. That moody brunette exhaled a low moan, and he let that Widow use his friggen dick. She heard him ask her to use it. She could use it all damn day, that’s what he said.

Natasha was concentrating, because her lower half was feeling too good. His greedy hands kept roaming her body.

He helped her movements, then brought one hand between her thighs. Bucky’s other hand stopped at her breasts. Bucky groaned out as he smiled, because he tried to hold one of them still.

It wasn’t working, because Natasha picked up her pace. She gladly usedhim. His cock was very hard, and swelling up again from the serum. Donna Strange was NEVER gonna feel that shit again, because Natasha inwardly planned to deny it.

She remembered Donna’s behavior with Bucky in the kitchen, and it all made perfect sense. He was a stubborn, lazy, smart mouthed mutt... but Bucky Barnes knew how to fuck.

It was everything that Natasha Romanoff wanted from him, so his pretty skirt needed to kick rocks.

She quickly told him that information, and Bucky responded with a short gasp. He started heating up, because Natasha wasn’t done.

She wanted to know why Donna dumped him. Was she opposed to good sex, or what? Bucky was trying to focus, but their behavior made it hard for him to listen.

Natasha slowly stopped everything. She stared down at Bucky, and she waited for the interruption to register. Her curiosity about him picked up in that moment, and some might have called it a red flag.

Natasha completely stopped moving, because she decided that she really needed to know something.

“Why did Donna Strange dump you?”

Her voice was cold. Bucky had a thing for cold hearted girls. He saw that, and he was good with it. 

She dumped him because he lied, and Bucky finally figured out what he actually lied about. He figured it out a while ago, but the truth was confirmed when he roughly held onto Natasha’s hips.

Bucky preferred women. He always preferred a woman’s body when he was intimate with someone, but inwardly ...he was thinking about Steve. Bucky had known him since they were pretty young, so he wasn’t sure if he could tell Natasha why Donna Strange dumped him.

All the signs were leading to a successful confession, but the not-so-winter-soldier wasn’t sure how she would react.

The only person he told moved out, so...

Bucky hesitated. The mood really changed for him in the room, because he was kinda all over the place about Steve.

His best friend was upset with him. Disappointed, like always... and with someone else.

Bucky was just doing whatever he could to forget about it. He was replaced and dismissed, and he knew that it was his own fault.

The not-so-winter-soldier always pushed someone else onto Steve, so of course it ended up biting him in the ass in the end.

“I’ve loved Steve since we were pretty young. I wanted to make a move on him, way before the serum. I guess I think about it, when I’m..”

.... the next part was hard for Bucky to admit. When he was with women, he thought about Steve before the serum. It was far more complicated than that, because he saw Natasha in the mix as well.

When he was with Donna, he saw Donna.. it wasn’t as if they weren’t there.

Bucky cared about them both. He brought his hand up toward his face, because everything started feeling extremely complicated. He thought about the yellow bowl at Natasha’s place. That helped him think, sorta.

Natasha kept staring down at Bucky Barnes. She worked out what she heard in her head, as he stared up at her. Oh, so ...he loved the pre-serum Steve, but Tony obviously snagged him.. 

So, now those two hated each other, and they were are all in some bullshit mess.

Natasha rolled her cold eyes, and she laughed hard at Bucky’s plight. She kept laughing, and Bucky’s body began to fill with some pretty warm air.

Uhmmm? His eyes bounced around the room for a bit, because she kept laughing at his misery. Natasha was very entertained with what she heard. She truly loved it.

“Good luck with that.”

She inhaled all of the drama she heard, and she let it all go as she exhaled. Natasha brought her focus back toward Bucky’s body, because she wanted to resume where she left off.

Uhmmm? Bucky blushed immediately, and he kept staring up into the dark. Natasha just ...

He...

He felt like a mess in that moment. She clearly didn’t care if he thought of Steve, or whatever. Bucky brought his hands back over toward her face. 

The Widow slowly kissed him, and she selfishly tried to ease him back into his normal behavior. For her, what she heard was fine. In Natasha’s opinion, Bucky could think of the smaller Steve all he wanted.

If it meant she got what she wanted, so be it.

* * *

Chapter: END  
Thanks for for reading.


	77. Dream Girl (Part 2)

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Dream Girl (Part 2)

* * *

Steve Rogers suddenly suffered from an unexpected sneeze. He was sitting up in the sand, and it just overpowered him.

He sneezed again, and scratched the side of his head. The soldier had no idea that he was currently in the thoughts or the topic of discussion in three different locations.

He simply kept trying to get to Tony. Steve glanced up at the big bright sky, and he took a minute to watch the sunrise.

He didn’t want to sleep alone, so the soldier kept on going. It was pretty crazy, but....

Steve was on a mission. He stood up for what felt like the millionth time, and he brushed off his clothes.

That soldier boy was covered in sand. It was sticking to his skin, and it was getting pretty uncomfortable. But, he had to keep trying. Steve started noticing several things.

The orb in front of Tony was changing, and it felt like his minute was stretching. He almost touched Tony’s arm, but his ass was kicked back down.

Steve hit the ground really hard that time, and he though a few of his ribsgave up on him. His body was very sore, and craving sleep.

He forced himself to forget about all of that, because he wanted the Tribunal to let him stay. He wanted to stay there with Tony because he wouldn’t last five years.

He was very determined to get what he wanted, so the soldier pressed on, and he stopped in front of the mist.

Steve rubbed his rib cage slowly, and he felt out Tony’s warmth. He felt him in a different location, again....

That made the blonde reconfigure his portal. Steve sucked in a slow breath, and he drew the circle in the air. His portal formed, and off he went.

The Tribunal was expecting Steve. It watched him. It had multiple faces, and they were debating how they would settle. The head kept spinning, and debating. It didn’t know what to do with him.

Steve didn’t realize the hesitation, so he just kept running. He stopped right in front of Tony, and his hand gripped that arm.

Tony received the shock of his life. He was telling that little Starchild all about her father, but it was complicated. 

She asked Tony to explain complication, and the brunette gave her a giant laugh. Who could possibly explain that?

Certainly not Tony. He gave it his best shot, but something grabbed his attention. Steve’s voice registered in his mind, and his eyes opened up.

Tony quickly looked down at his arm. He saw a very warm hand, and it felt like his chest was about to burst.

He saw that golden thing beside him, and Tony began to register what was happening. Steve said something about being a total wreck, but he couldn’t wait five years.

Five years? 

Tony couldn’t breathe. That warm hand released his arm, and Tony slowly turned toward Steve. The brunette wrapped his arms around that sand covered neck. Steve stepped closer, and he said something else.

It looked like they were wound together where they stood. Steve stopped talking. He reeled Tony's lips to his and they locked up in very a tight embrace.

Tony grabbed Steve's face and he gasped when he felt the sand. It was covering that honey blonde skin.

He kissed those yummy lips again, and Tony could taste all the sand and sweat that covered Steve’s face. He could tell that Steve had fought hard to get to him...

He remembered hearing his voice..

...

“What doing?”

...

A very sweet voice suddenly filled Steve’s head. He was very drawn into that kiss, but the gentle voice made him snap.

Steve abruptly stopped kissing Tony, and he looked beside him. The soldier saw something that looked like a little baby angel. Her hair was bright, and shiny like Clea’s. 

Steve’s big heart was out of control. He saw something that made him almost die. He was killed by pure joy, that’s what the history book would say.

Steve looked back at Tony. He didn’t know how much time he had left, but Tony quickly told him a simple little message.

“Loophole, Steve. Let them know that I’ve got it all covered.”

Steve died again, because that angel baby kept blinking her cute little eyes. She was studying Steve, and the soldier couldn’t take it.

Steve almost said something, but then his body crashed down hard against the beach. Steve coughed up a bunch of sand again, and he gasped for air.

Holllllyyyy hellll, his spine felt shattered. Steve felt spent, and he slowly brought his hands up off his chest. 

The soldier needed to pry his broken body out of the sand, and give Clea and Stephen a message. He needed to keep going, but that body was crashing, big time.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	78. Dream Girl (Part 3)

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Dream Girl (Part 3)

* * *

Beverly Strange was watering the house plants. She kept glancing up toward the second floor of the house, because she kept hearing random sounds.

The sounds came from upstairs, and it really freaked her out. Her house suddenly seemed possessed, and it sounded like a ghost was talking within a tunnel. Sounds from a tunnel? Sheheld her water jug up and wondered.

The mother of Stephen, Donna, and Victor glanced up the staircase several times, while their father ate his breakfast.

It was early, but Victor and Ezekiel were awake. Victor was using his abilities to play some tricks on his parents.

He “wooshed” down into the kitchen a few times, and he started stealing some food. His father noticed that some of his bacon, and one apple went missing. Then, he randomly heard one of the cupboards slowly open.

Victor snapped back into his bedroom, and he shared the spoils with some crime lord.

His crime lord, boyfriend? Victor was still in disbelief. He chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about it, and he slowly glanced up at Ezekiel.

The Jackal was mapping something out in his head. He took a bite of the stolen apple, and then he looked up at Victor.

Uhhh, the Baby Strange quickly looked away, and he started staring at all the mirror pieces around them. Ezekiel spent the night, but their situation wasn’t very normal.

Victor didn’t know what awaited the two of them once that dimension disappeared. He thought about that, as he crunched down on the stolen bacon.

“Do you think they will arrest you again?”

Victor brought his focus down toward his hands. He kinda forgot that he orchestrated a jailbreak. Ezekiel didn’t really have an answer for Victor, but he assumed that Nick Fury was going to be pretty angry.

“I feel ready to negotiate with them. I might be able to buy some sort of freedom, with what I’ve got in my head.”

Ezekiel understood that he had to give them something, but rehashing that part of his life made him feel insane. It felt more like he was tumbling down, and becoming crushed by his father’s weight.

Victor poked Ezekiel’s hand, and it woke him up from his thought. The White Jackal inwardly disappeared in that moment, but Victor easily brought him back.

“I can be there with you when you negotiate, if you want?”

Victor took a bite of the apple as well. He planned to steal some more food, but listening to the person in front of him was more important. If Ezekiel wanted freedom, then Victor wanted to help him get it.

They couldn’t hide in the Mirror Dimension forever, so..

Ezekiel thought about what Victor said, and a small smile formed on his face. His plan would require a team. They would need a pretty large team to accomplish what he was thinking.

Ezekiel took a bite of the bacon, and he said that he planned to change his clothes. He asked Victor if he wanted to join him at the safe house.

“Fury will probably show up there, but we can get ready.”

He did want Victor to stay with him, but he didn’t say it out loud. The Baby Sorcerer quickly smiled, and he nodded his head a million times. 

He decided to play one more prank on his parents, and then the two of them left Nebraska.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	79. Dream Girl (Part 4)

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Dream Girl (Part 4)

* * *

Steve was out. He fell asleep in the sand, and someone had to go through a whole bunch of bullshit to get him in the house.

Stephen and Clea did not have their powers. It was extremely frustrating for the two of them to be so inconvenienced. They couldn’t move him instantly, and it was annoying.

They had to phone several friends, and have some help dragging some blonde whale off the beach. Steve was dead asleep on the living room couch, and it was hysterical.

The poor stupid thing. Stephen was stirring his tea, and he rolled his eyes when the spoon didn’t move on its own. Normally, he used his mind to stir it, and then his hands would be doing a million other things.

He stared at the spoon, then he sighed.

Oh, a ton of noise was also happening around him. Steve’s beachside rescue caused them all to have a bit of a reunion. The demoted sorcerer stood beside Clea, while the small crew hunted through some mystic books.

The Sanctorum library took over Steve and Tony’s living room, and they all started really looking into the Living Tribunal.

Donna was there, along with Thor, Wong, and two other people. Stephen’s sister was currently avoiding everyone, and reading. Stephen focused on Donna for a little bit, but then his attention was pulled away.

Steve Rogers quickly rose up from his grave, and everyone in the room heard some troubling sounds. Steve’s bones seemed to pop.. 

They cracked as he moved.

It also looked like he was in pain, and that was a pretty bad sign. The soldier tried to sit up, but his body obviously said no.

Wonderful.

An injured Steve Rogers was not something that anyone wanted to see. Stephen stared at him, and then he set down the cup of tea.

Thor explained what he actually did in the Tribunal’s realm, and now they all were looking at the result. The demoted sorcerer walked over toward the living room couch, and he looked down at Steve.

Steve’s eyes were open, but he looked exhausted.

“Do you have any idea how heavy you are?”

Stephen had to ask. He kept his expression stiff, but Steve knew what his real mood was. The question was playful, and it made Steve laugh.

His body ached when he reacted. Steve quietly laughed, but then he started coughing up some sand. The sand was brutal, but Steve inwardly told himself that he was gonna live.

“I had to get some help. Clea and I tried to drag you, but....”

They failed miserably, and they both were above that sort of stuff. Their arrogant attitudes were precisely why they were in some bullshit mess. Steve stared up at Stephen’s smile, and he tried to find his voice.

His body just... wasn’t... in the ... mood.

Steve only wanted to sleep, and he planned to feel better in the morning. Stephen kept staring at him, and he concluded a thing or two. It seemed like the Living Tribunal wanted to take Steve down a notch.

The soldier defied it, and now he was a sleeping sandbox. It was very concerning, so one of the friends that he phoned was quietly sitting on the chair beside the couch.

Bucky Barnes was silent. He showed up with Natasha Romanoff, and they helped the rest of the crew move Steve off the beach. Bucky helped, but then he just sat down.

He didn’t say anything to Donna, or anyone else. Bucky just parked a chair beside Steve, and he waited. Steve had no idea that he was there. He couldn’t turn his head and look.

“I saw her. Stephen. I saw your little girl.”

Steve forced his lips to work. He wanted to sketch that adorable little angel baby for them, but his eyes slowly closed again. Bucky couldn’t take that shit. He got up and completely ditched the group.

He needed to process Steve being hurt, so he walked off toward the ocean.

The Ex-Sorcerer Supreme let Bucky take off. He stepped a little closer toward that couch, and his attention locked in even more.

They all heard that, but the soldier fell back asleep.  


The Tribunal didn’t want to be challenged any longer. They were looking into any documented interactions with the judge-mental entity. Thor even brought them books from Asgard, but it only showed them a very common conclusion.

Stephen’s assumption was correct, because the Tribunal decided to put Steve in his place.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	80. Dream Girl (Part 5)

Chapter Eighty: Dream Girl (Part 5)

* * *

  
Clea heard what Steve Rogers said. She was standing over one of the books that Thor brought, and her eyes were skimming over one page.

Donna turned the book around on the table, and she made sure that Clea could see it. She was pointing out an image, and she was looking at her sister-in-law for some sort of response.

Steve’s comment interrupted her thought. He told Stephen that he actually saw their little girl.

Clea swallowed down all the emotions that she felt, and she remained just as silent about it as Stephen. Those two were not expecting to have a child for a long time. They hadn’t been able to discuss it at that point, but it was on both of their minds.

Someone out there disrupted a spell that Clea always had on her own body, and it made a pregnancy happen. It was infuriating, and vile ... just like someone that Clea wished she could forget.

She slowly brought her eyes back toward the book, and she saw that familiar face.

It had some writing up above the image. Clea read it, and she gave Donna a slow nod of approval. It said “The Banished One” up above the picture.

How fitting. Clea’s mother was despicable, and the thought of her made the demoted sorceress burn with resentment.

Umar was the name of her mother, and she actually gambled with the life of an unborn child. She gambled with their daughter, and that was unforgivable.

Clea only suspected Umar, and she wanted her to pay. Donna received that quiet confirmation, and she quickly turned to another page. They didn’t want the men suspecting anything, but the two women in the room were pissedddddddd.

Donna suddenly had a baby niece to think about, and an older brother to protect. Stephen and Clea were very vulnerable now, so she planned to look into the situation in her own time.

Umar looked like a wicked bitch.......

Donna almost rolled her eyes, but she decided to take in a deep breath. She turned her head, and she saw that her brother was looking in their direction.

That sharp eyebrow was arched up, and they both knew that Stephen was onto them. Donna tried to play it cool.

“Should I make some food? Are you hungry?”

She directed her focus onto Clea, because that was what they were talking about. Yahhh.

“Yes, thank you.”

Clea and Donna took off, and Stephen wasn’t buying it. His wife wasn’t looking at him. That was his first clue. The second had to do with the book that was in front of them. Stephen tried to look over at it, but he caught wind of something else.

Thor was watching the women. He sincerely wanted to say something to Clea, because he witnessed what happened with the Living Tribunal.

It made Thor feel sad, and he hated that. He thought about saying something very nice to the petite sorceress, but something tall stepped in front of his path.

That “something” was Stephen, and Thor gave him a soft smile. The colossal blonde really wasn’t familiar with emotional territories, or relationship structure.

Asgardians were loyal lovers, but they were also a polyamorous tribe. So.... he just continued to smile at Stephen. The demoted sorcerer wondered how big a smile could actually get.

“Sorry, you’ve stepped in my path.”

Kindly move? Thor wasn’t sure if Stephen did it on purpose, but he knew that the man was currently going through a lot. Thor tried to walk around him, but Stephen took another deliberate step in his way.

Thor playfully laughed. He looked at Stephen, and then he briefly glanced over at the women again. Was he crossing a line? Thor was oblivious. He tried to take another step, but Stephen cut it short.

He even smiled at Thor as well. Stephen gave him such a lovely smile.

“I’m aware that I’ve stepped in your path.”

Stephen intended to continue doing so until Thor obtained a clue. He didn’t even care if he had his powers or not.

Stephen thought about how he could... totally.... take... Thor ...in a fight.

That blonde had a very jolly laugh. He told Stephen that could easily move him. He could, but Thor truly didn’t want to. He considered them all to be his wonderful new friends.

“Friends?”

What’s that? Stephen needed some enlightenment. He listened to Thor explain how they all were friends, and the demoted sorcerer just patiently waited.

He put a pin on something a while ago, and it felt like the perfect time to revisit his mental note.

Clea quickly glanced over at her husband, and then she looked at Thor. Their behavior amused her, but she decided to act blind to it. 

She wanted to talk to Stephen about Thor whenever they were alone. She wasn’t able to when they first arrived.   


Clea removed the thought from her mind, and she just  tried to help Donna make some sense out of Steve and Tony’s kitchen.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	81. Dream Girl (Part 6)

Chapter Eighty-One: Dream Girl (Part 6)

* * *

Bucky was trying not to get a bunch of sand in his boots. He failed horribly at that, and he ended up sitting down. Natasha joined him quietly, and she just stared out at the roaring ocean.

“I’m sorry I laughed at you.”

Natasha didn’t look at Bucky when she apologized, but he could tell that she meant it. She laughed about his feelings for Steve, and....

Bucky got kinda odd as a result. He didn’t realize it, but Natasha did. She couldn’t get him to let it go, and she tried all night.

He was still a little oblivious to it, but he accepted the apology. Steve was hurt, and currently dead asleep, so Bucky was a bit of a mess. She thought about it, and started fussing around with her Kevlar sleeve. Bucky watched her hands, and he tried to make her stop.

He was being playful about it, and she didn’t seem to mind the attention. Natasha’s behavior had really changed, and Bucky felt at ease for once.

He wanted to kiss her in that moment, so he gave it a shot. She watched him move in a little close, so she gave him what he wanted.

They shared a short kiss, because something started beeping against Natasha’s left side. The sound made Bucky gently sigh.

Nick Friggen Fury, always calling his girl.

Bucky was amused with his thought, but Natasha started saying that she received a video message. The two of them watched the screen pop up, and they tuned in.

Inside the house, Donna Strange casually glanced out the sliding glass door. She saw James sitting beside Natasha, and it caused her to gasp. Donna backed up immediately.

She walked back back baaaaacccckkk, until she could walk no further. People were talking, but Donna was temporarily out of it.

James really moved on. He moved on very quickly, and..

Well, of course he did.. Natasha was beautiful, and Donna mentioned more than once that she didn’t care. That’s what happens when you pretend like you don’t care.

She kept staring at the sliding glass door, but she had backed herself pretty far from it. The food was ready as well, but she forgot to announce it.

“Wing mentioned that we could return any time, and continue monitoring the dimension.”

Wing? Donna blinked.

A very low voice hit her ears, and she really didn’t understand what was said. Someone said, wing?

“Wing?”

“Wong. I meant Wong. Sorry.”

Human names were, interesting? Thor wasn’t sure at that point. He was the person that spoke to Donna, because WONG left the house. Thor was giving her Wong’s message, because he wanted them to get back to work.

The words finally registered in her distracted mind. She noticed that James and Natasha were returning, so she almost screamed where she stood. She abruptly looked up at Thor.

“Right? Ok? Thank you?”

She said the only words that formed, and Thor kinda smiled. He was uncertain how to actually react, because Donna’s words weren’t translating very well in his mind.

Donna was just trying to look busy anyway. She suddenly grabbed one of those, books...

Thor noticed her silly behavior. He stared at her, but then he didn’t give it any additional thought. The one that was named “Buh-kee” started looking at the sleeping soldier, and then he started telling everyone about a message.

It was a “video” message from someone. Thor had his arms crossed where he stood, and he silently observed the others. “Buh-kee’s” beautiful companion brought up a magic window, and they all started watching a tiny bald person speak.

He identified himself as Charles “Ex-ave-ee-ore”, and Thor smiled. The tiny bald man told the group that he reached an agreement with someone. That “someone” had a name that baffled Thor.

“Ezekiel has decided to make a move. I want to make sure that we all are on the same page about what he intends to do.”

Thor tried to follow along. He wanted to memorize the name that he heard, just in case. Everyone in the room reacted to what was being said in their own ways.

The colossal blonde just looked around. He was amused with all of them, so he decided to stick around.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	82. Dream Girl (Part 7)

Chapter Eighty-Two: Dream Girl (Part 7)

* * *

Steve Rogers could smell...food. 

His eyes slowly opened up on that couch, and his body immediately started craving whatever was cooked up in that kitchen.

He inhaled what seemed to be breakfast food. Warm... delicious... American...breakfast food.

Steve could smell bacon, potatoes, coffee, and hopefully toast? His big heart was almost in heaven, but the soldier was currently unable to move his head.

He kept staring up at the ceiling. Steve completely ignored all the voices in the room. Food was his only mission, but he couldn’t lift his head up from the pillow below him.

And, how rude... by the way? Steve caught onto the large meeting beside his head. He slept through it, but still.

His body felt broken. Steve tried moving his fingers and his feet. They cricked and cracked, and it scared him half to death.

A few people heard him moving around. They paused Xavier’s message, then suddenly all eyes were on Steve. The soldier couldn’t greet them, but he slowly moved his left leg.

Time for food. Steve moved his leg a little more, and he tried to pry himself up. It felt like his bones were breaking in, so Steve gasped. The soldier suddenly stopped.

“Whoa whoa whoa ... you’ve flipped. Stay there.”

Bucky didn’t want Steve getting up THAT quickly, so he kinda freaked out. Steve did not expect to hear Bucky’s voice, and his face made that very clear to everyone in the room.

Steve’s eyes travelled in Bucky’s direction, and he let out an exhausted sound.

“Take it easy, you’ve gotten yourself all busted up.”

It seemed pretty serious, and Bucky wanted Steve to realize what he actually did. In Bucky’s opinion, all that other drama between them was put on the back burner... for the moment.

He was worried about Steve, and so he decided to be there whether he liked it or not.

Steve looked at all the other faces in the room. He wasn’t sure how to behave around Bucky in that moment, so he just vocalized what he wanted.

“I just.. the food smells good.”

He needed food immediately, but Steve really didn’t want them to get it for him. He liked doing things for others, so being vulnerable like that made him immediately feel depressed.

A sudden chatter arose amongst all the people in the house. Of course he was hungry. Duh. It felt like they were suddenly banding together to get him some food.

Steve had to close his eyes. The reality of his situation was slowly kicking in, and he had no idea what it meant. 

Food arrived, and his heart started jumping out of his chest. Steve heard a chair scrape over in his direction, and he saw Bucky Barnes sit down beside him.

Deal with it......

Bucky wasn’t going to entertain any bullshit that morning, so he made himself right at home on that chair. 

Steve stared at him for as long as he could. The food was right there on the plate, and he knew that his body could manage the task. It had to, because he needed that pile of bacon.

Steve seriously wanted to cry when he saw the meal.

Bucky sat back for just a bit. He took in the situation in front of him, and then he looked over at the others. He decided to ignore them for the moment, and pretend that Steve was the only person in the room.

Bucky slowly put the plate of food beside Steve. He made sure it was supported, and he watched him try to get the bacon all on his own. Steve went for that shit like it was a present on Christmas morning.

The soldier convinced his arm to work, and it did. His mobility was impacted very badly, but Steve was able to pick up a piece of bacon.

He almost tipped the stupid plate onto the floor, but that’s exactly what Bucky was there for. He caught the plate, and he fixed it back up beside his broken body.

It was a close call, but Steve had that bacon in his mouth. He noticed that someone got all the sand and stuff off his face. He was very glad for that.

The flavor of the bacon was still greatly impacted tho, so Steve formed a small frown. His delicious breakfast was harder to swallow than he thought.

Steve wanted to cry.

...

“I think I messed up.. maybe.”

“Yeah Steve, you did. But, I hear you got to see your unruly brunette, so..”

Bucky smiled. Steve got all the way up there for that pain in the ass Tony Stark, so there’s the silver lining.

Steve digested what was said, and he swallowed down his first piece of bacon. Orange juice was provided, and he was glad for that.

What Steve really needed was a warm shower, and for his unruly brunette to be home with him.

“What happened up there, when you saw him?”

Bucky just wanted to hear Steve’s voice. He wanted to get him talking about Tony, because he knew that it would boost his spirits. That asshole did make Steve happy, so Bucky decided to bring him up.

The soldier glanced up at his best friend, and he tried to focus on what he said to him. 

He did see Tony, and Steve was glad for it. He was very tired, and he still felt out of it, but he smiled at Bucky. Steve thought about the burning hot kiss that he received up there, and it made him immediately warm up.

“Ay, are you gonna say it, or what?”

Bucky saw that smile, and he knew what it was all about. The blonde tried to brush it all off. He looked at that food for a bit. Steve gave out a short laugh, and he eventually decided to comment on what was said. 

Steve slowly reached over for some more bacon.

“I’m not gonna say it.”

He wasn’t going to share what happened with Tony, but the smile didn’t lie. The trip up there was very worth it, and Steve didn’t regret a damn thing. 

Bucky just playfully rolled his eyes, and he started asking him something about the Tribunal.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	83. Dream Girl (Part 8)

Chapter Eighty-Three: Dream Girl (Part 8)

* * *

  
Donna Strange was watching the adorable little scene going on in the living room, but something else had her attention.

She wanted to get back to the message from Charles Xavier, because she heard him say the name “Ezekiel”.

That biblical name was being tossed around every now and again, and Donna wanted to know exactly who that person was. She stepped back from the two best friends from Brooklyn, and she slowly stopped beside her older brother.

Stephen acknowledged her. He smiled at his sister, but then he saw the serious look on her face.

“Who is Ezekiel?”

Stephen had to know him. Donna remembered how upset Victor looked when she last saw him, and now here was that name again. She wasn’t sure if Stephen was informed.

The demoted sorcerer supreme looked a little confused. He wasn’t sure why Donna was asking, but he indulged the question.

“That’s a pretty complicated question. I’m not sure who he actually is. I only know what he’s been doing all his life.”

Did that define him? Stephen wasn’t sure. Donna listened to that complicated response, and she dwelled for a moment.

Victor’s safety was the first thing that struck her mind, so she quietly pressed further.

“Victor took off with him. They left the safe house together, and now...”

Now, what? Ezekiel was making a “move”. Donna didn’t know what it meant, but she didn’t like it. Stephen’s posture straightened as he listened.

He quickly looked over at Steve Rogers. That blonde was very happy over there with his breakfast, and it was obvious that his body was healing. Slowly but surely, Stephen expected the soldier to go Tony hunting again pretty soon.

He looked at him, because he remembered a comment that Steve made about Victor.

Apparently, his “baby” brother had developed a crush on someone. Steve described it that way, and Stephen started thinking that he found the culprit.

Victor wouldn’t just leave with someone, especially if he was supposed to be staying where it was safe...

His crush was revealed, and the older brother’s eyebrow arched up slowly. He returned his focus toward his sister, and he processed Ezekiel Stane.

“I think Ezekiel is in the process of defining himself. He has done some pretty horrible things, but it was based off a conditioning that he was born into.”

Stephen gave Donna his assessment of the person that “took off” with their younger brother. In their little world, that was pretty serious. Donna listened to him, but she did not respond.

Steve Rogers finished eating. He started telling Bucky that he needed to shower. 

Steve wanted to get up and go. He said that he slept for way too long, and Bucky sounded supportive. He told him to give it a shot.

Stephen and Donna both looked over at the quiet soldier, because he started moving his body slowly. His bones were healing, but they were fractured and broken.

The Tribunal made sure that Steve was going to be down for a while, so those bones were unable to support his weight.

Steve’s attempt failed, and they all heard the cricks and cracks beneath his skin. Bucky told him to cool it, and stay put.

Steve quickly suggested Tony’s suit. He revealed the technology that was made for him out of frustration, and he openly suggested that it would help him stand up.

That blue suit closed over Steve’s body, and the technology inside started scanning his skin. Steve was able to see a map of his broken skeleton, and it felt like he suddenly got kicked in the chest.

The soldier really wanted to stand up on his own two feet. He never wanted to revert back to the way he used to be, or how he used to feel. 

Heading back in that direction was really getting to him, so Steve started freaking out. 

Damn.... Bucky just stared at that suit. He had no idea that Steve even had it, and it looked pretty cool. He wondered what else Stark had up his sleeve.

Tony’s tech kept scanning that body, and it slowly built a plan to proceed.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	84. Dream Girl (Part 9)

Chapter Eighty-Four: Dream Girl (Part 9)

* * *

Steve was listening to the message from Charles Xavier while he was inside his suit. The damage to his body was being repaired by B.L.O.N.D.I.E. and he could feel the nano-technology moving around beneath his skin.

It was the strangest feeling, but Steve could tell that it was working. He listened to Charles explain that the X-Men were teaming up with Ezekiel, and that S.H.I.E.L.D. was invited to the party.

“I will let Ezekiel tell you his plan. I recorded this earlier today.”

Charles removed himself from his screen, and everyone watching saw someone else pop up. Ezekiel was talking to Charles from the safe house, and Victor Strange was behind him in the video.

Donna and Stephen locked their focus in immediately, and they both dropped their jaws. There he was... goofing around.

Victor was writing something, or doodling on some paper as Ezekiel started talking. Donna was in disbelief. She turned her focus toward the cute young man in front of the camera.

Ezekiel.. the one in the robot suit.

“Hello Charles, I’ve decided to reward the X-Men for keeping me out of Seagate. There is an island in Pennsylvania where mutants and people are routinely delivered. I can enter that facility very easily, so I intend to destroy it.”

Ezekiel glanced behind him, and Donna kept watching everything. She was inspecting the little scene in front of her, and her heart began to swell up with joy.

Dawwwww... her baby brother looked so cute with that person. She took in the colors that they both wore and everything. Victor didn’t look upset at all, and Ezekiel looked pretty easy going.

He was putting his fingers up behind Ezekiel’s head, and playfully giving him bunny ears as he spoke. The young man caught onto Victor’s behavior and Donna watched him smile at her goofy brother.

SHE FELT SO FRIGGEN HAPPY IN THAT MOMENTTTTTTT.

“Victor Strange is doing this with me. He plans to conceal himself as I enter the facility. I plan to speak to my contact personally, which would have normally been my father’s side of the business. His name is William Stryker. I will speak to him, and then shut down the facility.”

By any means necessary. Ezekiel mentioned that sentiment at the end. They all noticed Victor’s behavior, because he kept passing Ezekiel a piece of paper.

The Jackal wrote something down and passed it back as he explained his plan to Charles, and it became obvious that they were exchanging little love notes.

Aw, Stephen started warming up to the cute and fluffy stuff that he was seeing. Victor looked blissful, and it made Stephen grin.

“We took advantage of the technology used by Magneto, so that is why you can’t locate Three Mile Island. I’ll provide the coordinates and open the door for you, so just be ready to get everyone out.”

That was Ezekiel’s first move as a “crime lord”. He had full control of his father’s business and all of his money, so .... there you go.

They all heard Xavier asking him questions on the recorded video, but the group started looking amongst one another. They got the message loud and clear.

S.H.I.E.L.D. absolutely needed to be involved. It wasn’t going to be an easy fight at that facility. The X-Men could handle their turf, but a ton of firepower was mandatory.

“William Stryker is totally loaded. We’ll talk with Fury and head in..”

Bucky spoke up first. They had been briefed on Colonel William Stryker a ton of times. If they could take him out, then the world could rest easy for at least one day.

Natasha didn’t say anything back, but she agreed with what Bucky said.

Stephen slowly gave the situation a nod, and then he looked at his sister. The Mystic Arts had Victor involved, and it didn’t seem like there was going to be any sort of discussion.

Victor was the only person that they could spare, because Stephen’s powers were gone, and Donna was needed in the Dark Dimension.

She knew that, so she just smiled at Bucky. She smiled at Natasha as well, but she didn’t really look at her.

“Thor and I are needed elsewhere. So, keep an eye on Victor for us?”

She addressed that question toward James. She looked at him briefly, and he told her that he would.

Bucky was always going to look out for Stephen and his crazy siblings. He smiled at Donna, but her focus was on something else.

She picked up one of those heavy Asgardian books, and she turned her focus to Thor.

“Are you following all of this?”

“Yes. Certainly. Shall we go?”

Thor was following as best he could. All the names and all the people were throwing him for a loop, but he was trying his best. Donna needed to go. She hugged her brother, and then she gave Clea a very slow hug.

Donna and Thor left the house just as that blue suit started opening up.Bucky, Natasha, Stephen, and Clea all watched the technology unfold over Steve.

The nano-tech even removed all the sand from his clothes. Steve sat up from the pillow and he slowly stretched his arms up.

“Tell Fury that I’m joining you.”

He liked what he heard from Ezekiel. Steve didn’t see all the cute stuff going on between Ezekiel and Victor, but he was glad to hear the Jackal’s first move.

The blonde softly smiled at the other people in the room. Steve planned to shower first, and then eat some more food without the taste of sand in his mouth. 

It was officially go time for him, so the soldier slowly stood up on his own two feet.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	85. Dream Girl (Part 10)

Chapter Eighty-Five: Dream Girl (Part 10)

* * *

Let’s refocus. Donna and Thor left the Santa Monica house to check in with Wong. They had a spell placed over that house, in order to keep Clea and Stephen safe within it.

Now, Bucky and Natasha waited for Steve. They were trying to clean up all the sand that was brought into the house from the beach.

Bucky operated the vacuum cleaner, until Steve emerged from his bedroom. The blonde looked squeaky clean, and Stephen was glad to see him walking.

He mentioned that when the soldier walked into the large living room. He asked Natasha and Bucky if they were ready.

They both acted like they were born ready, or whatever. Stephen was amused with it, and he said goodbye to the super troops...

..

Then..

...

Suddenly...

....

Stephen was all alone with Clea.

He kept staring where the portal used to be, and then he slowly turned his head in her direction. His dream girl was simply looking at him, and she held a small smile.

Stephen suddenly felt very nervous. He stared at his beautiful wife, and a river of thoughts started sneaking up on him.

They really weren’t a normal couple. They didn’t dwell on “relationship” drama, or silly domestic stuff.

Now, Thor Odinson was showing interest in Clea, and they suddenly had a child to think about. It was....

Uhm, Stephen tried focusing on the sand situation. He figured he could control that one, and let it distract them from certain conversations.

Stephen wasn’t really ready for them, but Clea was. She was very ready to discuss Thor and their child. She watched Stephen grab a broom, and it made her smile.

Really?.. was that how it was going to be?

Her smile perked up, and she walked over toward him. Clea didn’t want to divert the conversation toward anything else, so she gently touched Stephen’s arm.

That perfect posture straightened up even more, and he started looking at his wife. Clea pressed her face against his shoulder, just like she did when Thor was asking all his “questions”.

She wanted to remind him of the subject. Oh, Stephen remembered the subject hours ago, but he kept quiet for a bit.

The demoted sorcerer set the stupid broom back down against the wall, and he kept looking at Clea’s hair. He felt very awkward when it came to relationship, stuff. 

Stephen wasn’t an expert at all. His “relationship” with Christine Palmer was barely a thing. He failed at every turn.

That fling he had with Tony was exactly that, a fling...

It was never real, and that was fine. Stephen sucked at that as well. And now, he had someone else looking at his wife. It was... annoying.

“So....”

Stephen said something, and Clea kept touching his skin. Normally, she’d be circulating an energy between them, but her powers were stolen from her.

Now she just felt his soft skin, and she waited for him to talk to her. Clea wanted him to express something about Thor’s interest.

The colossal blonde didn’t have a chance with her, because she truly loved Stephen. She was also a Faltine, and devotional love was deeply rooted within her people.

She was very very very veryyyyyy much “married” to that quiet sorcerer, so she continued to press her face against his shoulder.

“Yes?”

She tried to get him going. Stephen heard her soft voice, and he glanced down at his arm. Clea kept touching him, and his nerves started going crazy.

He was trying to find the right words, because he didn’t want to say something rude. Stephen gently kissed the side of Clea’s forehead, and he settled on a small question.

“How did Thor just, randomly show up in my head?”

Stephen was unconscious at the time. He woke up and Thor was just there.... staring at Clea and standing too close. It gave Stephen the oddest feeling, and he didn’t like it.

Clea started holding his hand. She knew that Stephen enjoyed her touch, so she kept her fingers roaming around his skin.

It was a habit for her, but it felt different for them in that moment. Different, but just as good.

“I asked Uatu a question about your situation. He was unable to answer or assist, so Thor offered to follow me, and help.”

“.. you just let him join you?”

That confused Stephen. Sure, Thor was known all around the cosmos, but what could he actually do to help Clea?

Stephen’s eyebrows started closing in, and he started looking a little bothered. Clea kept her cool, and she stared up at his face.

“I needed him to follow because I went to ask Nightmare a question. I didn’t want to deal with him by myself.”

Nightmare was always very vulgar, and disgusting toward Clea. She thought that Thor’s presence would help Nightmare actually focus on what she was saying.

She didn’t ...

Clea wasn’t sure why Stephen asked her that question, so she began to get a little flustered.

“Going to Nightmare was a waste of time, so Thor followed me back to you.”

“That’s very kind of him.”

He didn’t need Thor’s assistance. The God of Thunder didn’t even do anything, so what was the point? Stephen wasn’t understanding it at all.

All Thor did was follow his wife around....

Clea kept looking up at Stephen, and at that point she felt very warm. They had never spoken like that, and she started realizing that he was, what?

Jealous? Was that the correct word that a human would use? She thought about Stephen’s behavior, and she tried to clarify Thor’s presence.

“He mentioned that he was trying to understand his responsibilities. A connection with you is part of that, because he is supposed to protect this entire realm.”

Thor was supposed to work with Stephen. Clea remembered him saying that everyone called Stephen difficult.

His demeanor in that moment seemed a little “difficult” but Clea tried to move passed it. She kissed the side of his face, and just tried to change his mood.

Clea’s hands moved on from his arms. She brought them to Stephen’s body, but he wasn’t warming up. The sorcerer didn’t like what he was hearing, and he felt like Thor was full of shit.

He didn’t try to “connect” with him at all, because Stephen even stepped in front of his face.

The demoted sorcerer saw through it, and he inwardly thought about how it wasn’t Clea’s fault. She really wanted to get him out of that mood, so she brought her lips to his.

Stephen kissed his dream girl, and he tried to let it go. He didn’t want to dwell on Thor’s behavior, or upset Clea with his terrible attitude.

Their kiss deepened, and Clea stepped in as much as she could. They had one more thing to discuss, and it was a much harder pill for them to swallow.

But, it had to be done, so Clea let that kiss go in whatever direction it was headed, and then she planned to bring up their child.

Stephen knew the subject was coming. He could feel it in his soul. Until the bomb between them decided to drop, he simply kissed his wife, and slowly brought some attention toward her neck.

She wanted to feel that affection from him. Clea closed her eyes. His lips against her skin started driving her crazy. Her breath left her mouth quickly, because Stephen’s hands wandered around her waist.

His hands were strong. Their lips met again, and Clea’s face started getting all rosy and flustered. She wanted to feel him, but that was a very bad idea. 

Her spell was diminished, and they both were “normal”. Clea told herself that she had to be very careful with him, but her control wasfading fast. 

Stephen seemed very obsessed in that moment, and territorial over his “Tinkerbell Princess”. 

He thought of that as their kiss really started escalating. They both started thinking about that guest bedroom, but thinking about that was officially NOT A GOOD THING.

They would have another child on the way in half a minute, so Stephen tried to cool it.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	86. Get Free (Part 1)

Chapter Eighty-Six: Get Free (Part 1)

* * *

  
Ezekiel needed to do something before he took the journey to Three Mile Island. What he needed to do put him into some uncharted territory. 

But...luckily, he had Charles Xavier and Victor Strange to pull him out of the deep.

Ezekiel planned to become his father, in a sense, and communicate with William Stryker in the exact same way that his father would.

The White Jackal was taking a moment to think about his father, and he let everything about him swim around in his mind.

His father was a powerful person. Obadiah was very deadly, cold, and manipulative. He had Ezekiel watch his every move, and it was pretty disturbing.

Ezekiel remembered watching his father murder someone, amongst other things. He murdered them when he was in a better mood....

The Jackal was standing in the middle of a small room. He was wearing his suit, and finally processing his father. He thought about his voice, and the way he communicated with a potential buyer.

His father also had a natural charm when he spoke. That charm forced Ezekiel to see a different side of abuse.

Obadiah was teaching him to manipulate others, so he watched everything that he did to Tony and Howard Stark.

What a mind fuck....

He manipulated the two of them in such different ways. Ezekiel reflected on it in his suit, and his mind kept centering in on Tony’s abuse the most.

The things his father used to say to him started making Ezekiel feel very ill. He closed his eyes, and his mind kept recalling. Tony was very young, and manipulated quickly.

His father was basically giving candy to a baby, and indulging Tony with what he liked.

“I’m....”

Ezekiel was in a room with Charles and Victor. They were watching him, and sticking with him as he “became” his father.

It was his idea, because he intended to “sell” the newest version of something called the Iron Monger.

That was his way into Three Mile Island. Victor wasn’t sure what the Monger was, but he was currently looking at Ezekiel’s depiction of it.

William Stryker knew what the Iron Monger was, and Ezekiel needed his performance to be perfect. He was contemplating a few things, and killing Stryker was one of them.

He kept his eyes closed for a short while, until he felt like his mind had enough recollection. Ezekiel took in a slow breath, and he decided to speak to Victor and Charles.

“I’m ready to go.”

The Jackal opened his eyes, but he actually imagined himself in his father’s body. It wasn’t hard for Ezekiel to accomplish that goal, because he had watched that behavior all his life.

“We are ready as well.”

Xavier was linked into Ezekiel’s suit. He spoke specifically to him as he watched him walk away. That white suit had a destination to get to, and he had no reason to wait for the others.

Charles Xavier slowly looked at Victor. He advised the youngest Strange to avoid him until everything was finished. Charles actually told Victor NOT to be alone with him.

Say WHAT? Victor’s eyes opened wide. Charles even said that he needed to spend time with Ezekiel when it was over, and “bring him back”.

That kinda freaked Victor out, but he planned to listen to what Charles said.

He looked at that white suit, and Victor slowly bit his bottom lip. The plan was pretty simple, so Victor started playing his part.

He disappeared into the mirror dimension, and followed after the White Jackal.   


Ezekiel started taking his father’s path to Three Mile Island, and Charles was the person making it happen.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	87. Get Free (Part 2)

Chapter Eighty-Seven: Get Free (Part 2)

* * *

  
“I will check in with the Hong King branch, then let you know where we stand.”

Right. Ok. Got it.

Donna Strange listened to Wong speak, and she kept gently nodding her head. Thor was standing off to the side, and he was looking around the Sanctorum loft.

Donna had the Asgardian book in her arms, and she said her goodbyes to Wong. Cool, so....

The New York branch of the Mystic Arts was all hers now, and she was supposed to stay there and keep evil forces from coming in.

“He seems very nice.”

Thor commented on Wong, and Donna almost rolled her eyes. Not at Thor, that would have been rude. She almost rolled them, because Wong was a grump.

She glanced at Thor for just a moment, and then she put the book up on Stephen’s desk. Donna started hunting around for the image of Umar.

She wanted to know if Thor had any additional information. She moved some of her long hair out of her face, and she kept skimming through the book.

“Stephen is your, older sibling? Or are you two twins?”

What? Donna quickly looked up from the book. She stared at Thor, and her eyes slipped down to one of his arms.

She didn’t think that he had an ounce of fat anywhere on his body.

“Uhh, Stephen is my older brother.”

Not twins, get it right. Donna didn’t mean to be so short with her response, but she was hunting around for just one page. She started thinking that she grabbed the wrong book.

She couldn’t find the wicked bitch anywhere, but she kept digging. Thor was watching Donna, and he couldn’t help but notice the similarities between her and Stephen.

He was convinced that they were fraternal twins for a while there, but his guess was incorrect.

“You two are very similar.”

Thor felt like pointing that out. He glanced around the sanctum again, and his eyes settled on Donna Strange. He was still trying to find his way around all his responsibilities regarding Earth.

Locating its protectors was very helpful for him, but they weren’t as welcoming as he thought they would be.

Donna looked up from the book again, and she gave Thor a puzzled expression. Yes. She was similar to Stephen. The sister had heard that one before.

She turned the book in Thor’s direction and she pointed at Umar’s smug face.

“Do you know her?”

Thor kept looking at Donna. She didn’t respond to what he said, and he wondered if she noticed. Thor started looking down at the book, and he inspected the image.

“Yes. I have heard of this fallen Faltine. She lives in disgrace.”

“I want to put her in a hole, for five years.”

Donna wanted to bind her until Clea’s powers returned, and then help Clea confront her. Thor’s reaction was kinda not what Donna wanted to see.

He looked a little shocked with what she said, and he looked back at the picture again.

“Umar is very powerful. It would take an immense amount of power to contain her.”

“Well, you’re pretty powerful, right?”

Donna was learning as well. She had the Ancient One guiding her as she went, but the sister was technically winging it.

Thor smiled at the powerful part. In his opinion, that comment went without saying. Of course he was powerful. Wasn’t the word pronounced, duh?

“What if we combine our strengths into something that can hold her?”

That.. that comment made Thor’s smile stretch very wide. He actually laughed because he thought that her idea was simply adorable. Impossible, but adorable.

“I am not a magician, like you and your brother.”

“We are not magicians...”

Donna Strange crossed her arms, and Thor took in her appearance. He realized that he used the wrong word, but that was because he was winging it.

“Sorcerers, then?”

He wasn’t what they were. Thor felt incompatible in that regard. His Asgardian tongue was very similar to the language that was often used on Earth, so he wasn’t sure why he felt so misunderstood.

It felt like Stephen Strange disliked him, and he started feeling the same way from his sibling. Donna just let go of the previous discussion, and she moved on to the next idea.

Thor didn’t need to be a sorcerer, Donna started brainstorming as she spoke.

“I can draw power from you, and put it into a binding spell. Our strengths would unite, and we could potentially hold her for five years.”

Or longer, because she was horrible.

Thor listened to Donna, and he brought his hand up toward his face. He started rubbing the left side of his chin, and he got to thinking....

“I could possibly help you with this..”

“Possibly?”

What the hell was he there for then?? Donna didn’t like hearing the word possibly, so her eyes started getting razor sharp. Thor took notice, but he smiled.

“I want some advice, in exchange for my strength. I’m supposed to work in harmony with your sibling, but he’s not very friendly.”

Ah. Donna froze up a bit, and she slowly glanced around the room. Advice about, Stephen? She wasn’t sure how effective her advice actually was, so she slowly shrugged her shoulders up..

“Clea is his wife. They are married. That is probably the best advice you can get.”

“I established that, but I need something else. That’s not enough..”

Thor needed to dig a little deeper, and it felt like he found the perfect resource. Donna and Stephen had the same demeanor and aura about them. Intelligent. Arrogant.

Mistaken for fraternal twins. Thor became very amused with what he was seeing, while Donna started feeling stared at.

She closed the book on the wicked witch from the west, and she awkwardly looked around Stephen’s loft.

She tried to cook up some sort of advice about her brother, because she knew it was going to take Thor an eternity to get on his good side.

“Don’t ever lie to Stephen. If he asks you something, just confess. He will know immediately if you lie to him.”

Stephen could read people instantly. Donna gave up lying to him ages ago. She thought that her advice was good, so she relaxed her arms.

Thor’s smile remained as he thought about what she said. Thor wasn’t really the type to lie, so he felt like that advice didn’t apply to him.

“Satisfied?”

“Not yet..”

Christ. Donna gave out a short sigh, and she tucked her hair beneath one of her ears. She needed that power source to just accept what she gave him.

She didn’t want to think about her stupid brother in that moment either, so she looked over at the wall instead.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	88. Get Free (Part 3)

Chapter Eighty-Eight: Get Free (Part 3)

* * *

Steve was “Steve” for only a short amount of time after he left the house in Santa Monica.

The quiet blonde joined Bucky and Natasha to the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, and he started noticing a few things. 

Steve picked up on Bucky and Natasha’s extra friendly behavior, and he began to realize why Donna Strange practically tossed them out of the Sanctorum like stray cats.

Steve Rogers contemplated things like that. He cared about Donna, and he had been on the receiving end of Bucky’s ability to quickly rebound.

Bucky opened a door for Natasha, and that gesture pretty much sealed the deal in Steve’s mind. Donna and Bucky split the sheets, and Natasha rolled right on in.

The soldier didn’t comment. He still had to have a conversation with Bucky, but he didn’t see that happening anytime soon. All of his thoughts about the relationships of his friends left his mind, because Steve stood in front of a giant screen.

He brought his blonde hand up to the technology, and logged in with his Captain America credentials. 

The Stars and Stripes officially logged into the chat, and all of the relationship drama left his mind. What happened with Steve in that moment might have been confusing for those that don’t understand psychology. 

Steve was always “Steve”, but he was completely different in that moment. His persona changed, and it was almost as if a different person took over. 

Steve became “Cap” and his mind centered only on Three Mile Island, and formulating S.H.I.E.L.D.’s role in the fight.

His credentials still worked, so apparently Fury didn’t get around to removing him from his position at work. It must have slipped his mind. 

Either way, Steve had S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest version of his suit waiting for him, so he left to suit up. Bucky watched him leave. 

He could see the change in Steve’s demeanor immediately. That change was also a pretty rare occurrence.  


Steve was usually “Steve Rogers” when he logged in at work, and he only logged in differently a handful of times.

Bucky pondered it as he joined in on the screen. His log in instructed him to meet up in the hangar. He received the same update as Natasha, so he mentioned that he needed to change his boots.

Bucky’s socks were covered with sand, remember? Natasha held a small smile, and she gently gave him a nod of acknowledgment. Her boots had sand in them as well.

They were about to separate for the first time in a while. Bucky didn’t want to, but Natasha’s actual room was located far from his. 

That room was on the complete opposite side of the building. She needed to suit up as well, and regroup.

It felt like...

Natasha wanted to step toward him. She wanted all of that domestic stuff to rush her all at once. Bucky felt the same thing, but someone beside them logged into the chat.

“I heard you guys, the other day.”

Clint Barton opened his big mouth, and he did it with a kind smile. Natasha and Bucky slowly looked in his direction.

He was logging in, and receiving his orders for the day. He glanced back at the lovebirds, and he adjusted his vest.

“Try closing the door next time? That was rough.”

He gave Bucky a nice pat on the shoulder. His orders were to head to the hangar as well, and the archer fully intended to haunt them about what he heard until the day they died.

Natasha just closed her eyes. Bucky rolled his, and he marched on. He didn’t care, and he almost pushed the archer as he walked up ahead of him.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was slowly moving forward on the chessboard, while all the other pieces gathered up in different areas.

One chess piece was light years away, but a plan was forming for him to join the fray.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	89. Get Free (Part 4)

Chapter Eighty-Nine: Get Free (Part4)

* * *

Clea’s body was feeling good, but her nerves were another story. She tried to control herself with her husband, but they both gave into their physical needs pretty quickly.

She wanted to feel Stephen, and put a stop his negative thoughts. Clea got exactly what she wanted, because they took their behavior to that guest bedroom.

Stephen was all over her, and that was how she really wanted to cope. That’s why she covered herself with the Cloak of Levitation. She just needed... him.. all over her.

Clea smiled when her thought subsided, and she tried to hold onto Stephen’s face. He was very focused, and flustered. She loved seeing his face like that, because it felt vulnerable.

Normally, Stephen held a stern expression. He had too much going on in his head, so everyone around him often got the cold shoulder.

The current look on his face felt exclusive, and warm. She kissed his lips, and hugged his body close. Stephen was proceeding with caution. His wife felt too good beneath him, so his level of control kept disappearing.

The demoted sorcerer really lost it when she started breathing harder against his neck. Clea gripped his shoulders, and her beautiful voice filled his ear.

She quietly said something about wanting to have his child, and that it wasn’t fair. Clea became very overwhelmed with all the extra steps they were taking. They were doing that to avoid another child, and she clearly didn’t like the restraint.

Her emotions got the best of her, and Stephen sucked in a short breath. He stopped what he was doing, and he started looking down at his wife.

Clea started crying, and it broke Stephen’s heart. The demoted sorceress confessed that what happened was killing her, because she wanted to actually have his daughter.

Clea wanted to be a mother, and experience the whole thing. It wasn’t fair in her mind at all, and Stephen kept silent.

His flustered demeanor slowly settled, and he started getting angry. His jaw clenched up, and he closed his eyes. Stephen tried to soften up his anger, so he gently kissed the side of her face.

Clea didn’t need anymore anger in that moment. Stephen recognized that, and he gently fixed her hair. It was getting all tangled up beside her neck, and he couldn’t have that.

“We could .. uhm..”

Stephen adjusted over her, and he decided to rest beside her. Everything needed to stop. He stopped it all because they needed to talk, and get rid of all that, sadness.

He wiped the tears away from her flustered face, and he gave an idea another shot.

“We can plan for another child, later... down the road? Two children? That wouldn’t be..”

Insane? Stephen almost laughed. He relaxed against Clea, and waited for her to respond. Ideally, Stephen wanted a girl and a boy. It didn’t truly matter, but that build up felt right.

He looked at her again, and he saw a beautiful smile. Stephen loved Clea’s smile more than anything. His dream girl didn’t deserve that bullshit.

He clearly deserved to be put in check, but not her...

She pressed her face against his warm shoulder, and she quietly said that she wanted that. Clea wanted that more than anything, and her tears started falling down again.

Stephen noticed a change in the tears, because her smile didn’t go away. She seemed a little better, so the demoted sorcerer started thinking some more.

He looked at one of the discarded pillows on the bed, and a bright idea struck his busy mind. They were going to be a “normal” couple for five long years. Stephen finally decided to fully embrace their fate in that moment, and he started acting like a normal human being again.

“Would you like to go out on a date?”

An actual date, like normal people. Clea didn’t even know what that word meant, and Stephen felt like such a selfish jerk.

“A date means...uhh. A date is when, people schedule time to be together. They go out on, a date. I could take you to the pier. We could get some food, downtown?”

Normal couple stuff? Stephen felt ridiculous as he explained what a date was. He felt like a failure. He absolutely had to distract himself, so he started fixing Clea’s hair again.

She smiled, and softly responded. She told her husband that she would love that, and his warm smile returned.

Stephen was under the impression that he officially sucked at dating. Christine Palmer always told him no when he asked her to go somewhere, and the date with Tony never even happened.

So, the “normal” excursion they started planning was technically going to be his first date ever.... with his wife.  
  


...

Stephen felt like such a grown up in that moment. He rolled his eyes at himself.

  
...

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	90. Get Free (Part 5)

Chapter Ninety: Get Free (Part 5)

* * *

  
Tony Stark noticed a small notification pop up on his right hand side. His technology was paired with Steve’s, and he was told about the repairs that were being made to his broken body.

His blonde bombshell was injured after all those attempts to see him, and Tony didn’t like that. The last time Steve showed up, Tony was pulled out of a bizarre trance.

Steve managed to touch his arm, and it woke him from a deep sleep. Tony kept circulating energy between him and that beautiful Starchild, and he helped her body grow and develop.

When she became a five-year-old, Tony turned his focus toward that giant gold thing toward his left. He disconnected himself from the child, and he floated up to the face of the Tribunal.

Stephen and Clea’s little girl watched him. She became very attached to Tony, and he planned to possibly use that against the Tribunal’s logic.

It was time for him to play hardball with some cosmic super-judge, so Tony cracked his knuckles and stopped before it.

He slowly approached the Living Tribunal, and he noticed the shifting faces.

“The Starchild is five-years-old. Do you think it’s good for her to continue developing here, like this?”

Tony was chosen to be with her until she reached that state. He cheated and used his own energy to add some fuel to her development. Sorry, not sorry.

Tony used his powers from Hoggoth to accelerate her growth. The deed was done, so now he intended to bargain. The Tribunal stared at him, and it switched over two faces.

Tony started keeping track of those faces, and he learned that each one represented an element of judgement. The one he stared at in that moment represented “Agenda”.

It was taking in Tony’s words, and determining if he was full of shit. The Tribunal was looking into his “Agenda” and determining if it was best for the girl.

His intentions were always going to be pure with her, so Tony spoke with more confidence than he ever had in his life. He already decided that he would die for her, anytime...any day.

“Can I please speak to Reason?”

His agenda was clear. The faces scrolled over, and Tony stared at the face that stopped. He gave “Reason” a sincere smile, and he began to plead his case.

“The Starchild needs to be with her parents. She doesn’t deserve their punishment, and being away from them affects her development.”

Stephen and Clea cooked their own goose. Their powers weren’t going to be restored. Tony didn’t even try to argue for that, but he did think that what he was saying was fair.

“Her parents can raise her without their powers, or the arrogance that you saw in them.”

They lost five years with their daughter, Tony made sure of that. Now, it was time for her to see her actual home and time for her to be a child.

Tony crossed his arms, and he waited for some form of judgement. He understood the process, because he started watching the Tribunal after he woke up.

People kept showing up, and Tony watched how it all worked. It was taking a little too much time for the impatient brunette, so he decided to add his own plight into the mix.

“I am also extremely needed where I come from. You are intentionally keeping me from things that I need to be doing. Fair? Who actually asked me?”

Think about that, Tribunal. Tony understood that it had something to do with the Mind Stone. The Living Tribunal had the ability to control the stones. It’s what brought them all to that exact moment, in that dimension or the next.

The Infinity Stones were connected to the Starchild as well, so Tony glanced down at that adorable little girl. The face of the Tribunal changed one more time as he looked at her.

She reminded Tony of a Water Lily. 

A slow voice filled his head, and it told him that he could take her with him back to Earth. The judgement was passed, and that was that.

Hoo hoo! Tony did a small victory jump. He turned his back on the Tribunal, and he slowly made his way back down to that precious thing.

She kept blinking her shiny little eyes, and she asked Tony what he was doing.

“I’m getting ready to take you home. We’re going to your mommy and daddy. Are you excited?”

She looked very excited. That little girl started moving and grooving. She knew her parents pretty well at that point. Tony told her everything that he could.  


The Starchild could see them as she developed. She already knew that her mother was beautiful, graceful, and kind.

Tony taught her the words. He also taught her that her father was gentle, brilliant, and protective.

She even knew what those big words meant. Tony wasn’t gonna leave her hanging. He took her tiny hand in his and he glanced down at that cutie pie. 

She looked up at him, and she said that she was very excited. The Starchild said the word “excited” at least six times. She said a bunch of other stuff, but the big word was currently her favorite thing.

Tony was too friggen amused with her cuteness. He looked back up at the Tribunal, and told it that they were ready to go.

The Starchild gently held Tony’s hand, and she playfully waved to the Tribunal. It didn’t respond.

It just blinked it’s giant eyes, and quickly sent the two of them home.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	91. Get Free (Part 6)

Chapter Ninety-One: Get Free (Part 6)

* * *

Captain America teamed up with a veteran pack of the X-Men. That group intended to take out the heavy-hitters that were inside, and destroy what was left.

S.H.I.E.L.D.’s main objective on the ground level was to move in when they received the signal from Ezekiel, and get everyone out.

Natasha and Bucky were in charge of the grab and run. Steve didn’t want them engaging in any sort of combat if they could avoid it.

Get the cargo and run, that was their mission. The Captain stood beside one of the older members of the X-Men, and the two of them exchanged a small greeting.

Logan referred to him as “Cap”, and it further cemented that other persona in Steve’s mind. He shook Wolverine’s hand, and listened to him say that he wasn’t going to be very friendly inside the building.

“I wouldn’t expect it.”

Steve quietly responded, and left the violent mutant with his thoughts. His next plan was to check in with Bucky. His friend told him that they were all good to go, and they waited.

Steve reached a final update. He stopped beside Charles Xavier, and he learned that Ezekiel had moved inside the building.

“Would you like to see, Captain?”

Xavier offered up what he could see. No one understood the differences in Steve’s personalities better than Charles, so the mutant addressed him in the correct identity.

Steve said that he wanted to see, and he briefly asked about Victor Strange.

“He is still concealed. Only Ezekiel iscurrently visible.”

The soldier gave the mutant a nod of acknowledgement, and he stepped up to Charles. The soldier placed a hand on the mutant’s shoulder. 

After a moment, Steve could see Ezekiel’s suit. He entered an access code onto a small panel, and he entered a large room.

Steve noticed a small difference as he watched him walk. The White Jackal seemed more confident with his movement, or more self assured.

It was only because Ezekiel was pretending to be his father in that moment, and Obadiah always walked with a certain strength.

The liar always helped the thief. They go hand in hand, and that was why he always walked with such ease. Ezekiel understood that now, and he felt ready to play the game.

Steve Rogers was actually watching him, for once, and seeing into the White Jackal’s life. The soldier watched that white suit enter another room, and he saw William Stryker look away from whatever was on the ground floor.

Victor was also watching the scene. He was hovering above Ezekiel, and keeping tabs on how many people were there in the room.

Four men were behind that suit, while Stryker stood in front of him. They kept talking about the “Iron Monger”, and how much it would cost. Ezekiel told him that the prototype was complete, and that it wasn’t cheap. 

Victor didn’t recognize his voice at all.

It sounded deeper, and very harsh. Ezekiel didn’t use any technology to disguise it ether. He didn’t need to rely on any tech to replicate his father’s voice, because it haunted his broken soul.

“I’ll take fifty.” 

Stryker wanted more firepower to protect his island, and the cost meant nothing to him. The man returned to looking out a large window, and several things came to his mind.

Ezekiel heard Stryker mention a rumor. The rumor about Obadiah’s death reached Three Mile Island, so Stryker asked to see him beneath his suit.

Ezekiel didn’t hesitate. He smiled beneath the suit, and said that he’d be happy to remove it. Victor listened to that, and he turned his attention toward the four men behind them.

Ezekiel’s suit clicked open, but he brought his hand just below Stryker’s jaw. The man drew out a gun, but the Jackal already activated a clever trick.

A powerful current generated throughout William Stryker’s body. It caused an immediate paralysis, and it was something that his father did to people all the time.

Stryker’s gun went off in the room, and the four men reacted. They didn’t know what hit them, because suddenly something appeared from up above their heads.

Victor startled the four men with his “magic”. He shoved them all back against the wall, and he said only one thing.

...

“Boo.”  
  


The baby sorcerer laughed soon after, and he kept them all from moving. Victor’s word was the signal, so Charles Xavier got to work.

He reminded Ezekiel of their plan, and started prying him out of his father’s mentality right away. They didn’t want to make any mistakes.

Ezekiel released the hold that he had on Stryker, and the man fell to the ground. He couldn’t move, but he could see the Jackal step over his body.

Victor started tossing the men through a portal. One by one, he sent them to someone from the X-Men.

Ezekiel stepped up to the control console, and he started replicating what he often watched Stryker do.

He started disengaging cages, and unlocking the doors all around the facility. Ezekiel also continued listening to Charles within the suit, and he blankly looked out toward the main floor.

He absently pressed a few more buttons, which allowed Steve, and all the others to finally move in.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	92. Get Free (Part 7)

Chapter Ninety-Two: Get Free (Part 7)

* * *

Stephen and Clea were wandering around Santa Monica Pier. It was a pretty warm day, and Clea looked like she was enjoying the sunshine.

She mentioned something about all the different food. Food was everywhere, and so were people. The pier was packed, and that was good.

Stephen didn’t mind the chatter for once because it seemed to drown out all the thoughts that he had in his mind.

He bought Clea an ice cream, and he looked at her little sundress. She was perfect. Stephen didn’t ever want to see her hurt again.

The possibilities of that happening were too great, however, because she was married to him. Stephen recognized that, and he kept trying to come up with ways to make it better.

The only way to make it stop would to no longer be the Sorcerer Supreme. It became even more complicated with children in the mix.

He got lost again, but Clea’s touch brought him back. She asked him about the Ferris wheel, and the two of them waited in line for it.

Stephen started helping her with that ice cream because she was too busy looking at all the colors and ... things.

“Every inch of space is covered with, a thing.”

Yes. Stephen agreed with her observation, and he kissed the side of her face. Her skin was getting warm from the sun, so Stephen handed Clea her little yellow blouse.

She put it on while they waited for the Ferris wheel, and Stephen held her hand. The distraction felt good, but the demoted sorcerer couldn’t stop thinking.

They both couldn’t stop, so Clea just pressed her face against his shoulder. She was going back and forth between wanting to stay there, and wanting to take Stephen back to the guest bedroom.

She preferred to be alone with him, but she understood what they were doing. Clea started studying the people around them, and she noticed some sort of...business.

People started getting louder, so Stephen glanced in that direction. A commotion was going on beside the line, because Tony showed up.

His portal cut a path from the Santa Monica house to the pier, because Tony was impatient. He couldn’t locate Stephen’s energy anymore, so he used his tech to find the next best thing.

Tony tracked him down by scanning for the Eye of Agamotto, and guess who he found? Stephen was wearing it in that moment, but it was concealed beneath his burgundy colored t-shirt.

Tony walked up to the wounded couple, and he removed his tech. He kept holding a precious little hand, and he waited for everyone to adapt.

The Starchild was there in the flesh, and she was looking at her mommy’s pretty clothes. Stephen and Clea seemed frozen where they stood.

They kept staring at her as if she wasn’t real, and they both seemed stunned with disbelief.

“I used Hoggoth, and amplified her development. Today’s technically her fifth birthday. So, surprise!”

Tony held a giant grin. He was trying to make the situation less intense, but Stephen... whoa.

He looked like he was about to pass out and die in the middle of some carnival line. Clea’s hands were up beside her face, and she just kept staring.

The little Starchild looked a bit nervous. She stared up at a brand new world, and she brought her focus to her parents. People around them were freaking out, so Tony started thinking that they all needed to leave.

Pronto. Shit was getting way too loud. Stephen and Clea were the quietest people he knew, so he figured it was time to go.

Clea touched the bottom part of her dress, and she slowly lowered herself down to her daughter’s eye level. The little girl asked her about her eyes, and Clea told her that she was crying.

Crying because she felt very happy. Happy to see her.

Shit. Tony almost lost it. He turned around all quick and he stretched his arms back. He watched Clea embrace the Starchild, so he brought his attention toward Stephen.

Stephen Strange was silent, but Tony approached him. He said something to the demoted sorcerer, but Tony didn’t think he was heard.

“Ay, gimme that ice cream.”

Tony wanted it, and Stephen was spacing out. Tony gently took it from his hand, and he started eating the last half of the cone.

Stephen was a bit of a mess. Tony could see his inward struggle, but at least it wasn’t as bad as before. Tony had seen him hit rock bottom before, but this time he looked ...ok.

He didn’t want to see Stephen suffering ever again. 

A smile broke on that handsome face. Tony swallowed down some of that ice cream, and he just about choked when Stephen finally looked at him.

He thanked Tony for bringing her to them, but the brunette just softly smiled. Stephen even smiled in that moment, so Tony felt a little more at ease.

In his mind, Tony knew that he only brought Stephen a feeling of neglect or pain. He was happy to finally bring him something other than that, for once.

What he was thinking wasn’t technically true, because Stephen felt happy around Tony all the time. Emotions were just all over the place at the moment, and negative thoughts were a beast to beat.

Tony finished up that ice cream, and he watched them finally communicate with their adorable daughter.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	93. Get Free (Part 8)

Chapter Ninety-Three: Get Free (Part 8)

* * *

Donna Strange ditched the books. She felt like she wasn’t getting anywhere with Thor, so she started turning to the dust covered artifacts around the Sanctorum.

Just kidding, Wong and Victor kept them organized and looking nice..

Thor followed Donna, of course, because he felt the opposite. He was obtaining additional information on her older brother, buthe wanted to continue digging.

Donna spotted something that looked, interesting. She checked the tag on it, and glanced back over at the books.

She quietly tracked down some additional information on the artifact, while Thor thought up a few more questions. Donna thumbed through the pages, and she smiled when the picture matched what was on display.

Great job Vic! She wanted to see her brother so badly, and ask him all about Ezekiel. Donna hated waiting, but she pressed on.

“Here. The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. I think we can use that on her, what do you think?”

Donna was intending to amplify whatever artifact she chose, with Thor’s help. She glanced up at him, and her eyes stopped at those arms again.

“That could work on her, or she could simply break it in half. It’s hard to tell.”

They wouldn’t know until they appeared before her. Thor was planning on helping Donna, but he decided to stall it out.

Working with Stephen Strange meant that he would also be working and interacting with her. Thor was studying the middle child, while pretending like he wasn’t.

He already noticed a few things about her, but he wasn’t sure if he should comment.

“Well, I don’t want to waste my time making that mistake. I want to be sure, and lock her up. I have a good feeling about this... so..”

Her voice trailed off, because she continued reading the information on the Crimson Bands. Thor inspected the bands again. He took his time with it, and then he shrugged.

It would work, because Cyttorak had immense strength. Thor figured that he still held power over the bands, and helped whoever was able to wield it.

But, who really knew?

“I have a younger brother. He’s a bit of a trickster, like Victor. Do you think Stephen would discuss family matters with me?”

Was that his way in? Thor needed to know. He was using his brother Loki to chip away at that question right in that moment.

Donna quickly looked up from the book. She saw Thor looking at her, and she felt a little odd about it. He was always asking about Stephen, so she tried to answer politely.

“Well, maybe? He might see right through it.”

If Thor was just bringing up his brother for no particular reason, Stephen wouldn’t take the bait. Donna couldn’t see her brother wasting his time with useless conversation.

You have a baby bro? Cool, me too..

It just didn’t feel right, so she looked back at the book. Thor gave a small sigh. He felt defeated again, but he was stubborn.

“I also have an older sibling. Her name is Hela. She’s strong, smart, but a little controlling.”

Thor was the middle child, just like Donna. He continued to smile at her, and he waited for her to talk to him. She heard him bring up his older sibling, and her focus started changing.

Donna looked up from the book again, and she studied the look on Thor’s face. She started catching on a bit, so she put a bookmark to hold onto her current page.

“Controlling? How so?”

She felt a little curious. Thor’s smile stretched a little bigger, because it felt like he was finally getting somewhere. He could overpower Umar right at that moment, but he chose to stall it out.

The God of Thunder felt far more challenged by Donna Strange, and he started thinking that it had something to do with the one named “Buh-Kee”.

Thor wasn’t blind. He saw what was being overlooked. 

So, the colossal blonde slowly closed the book, and he started telling Donna all about his older sibling.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	94. Get Free (Part 9)

Chapter Ninety-Four: Get Free (Part 9)

* * *

...

  
You ready? 

...

Because we are right at the finish line. It’s time to touch base on everyone within this story.

Thor and Donna continued to feel each other out way over in New York. Stephen and Clea were taken back to the Santa Monica house so they could be with their little Starchild.

Victor and Ezekiel were making their way back to the quinjet, because they didn’t sign up for the destruction part of the gig.

Bucky and Natasha were still rescuing mutants. They were currently carrying a few young ones out of some... lab.

Tony was watching them. He was told about Three Mile Island by Stephen, and guess where he went?

Tony Stark brought himself across the “United” States of America, and he stopped himself way up above the secluded island.

He hovered over and watched, then he hacked into any frequency that crossed his path. Tony was hunting for a yummy voice, and watching the island fall apart piece by piece.

“Hey, Cap? I think this area is clear.”

Hello there. Tony heard someone say something to the yummy person that he was looking for. Tony even heard him respond, and it almost made his shoes melt beneath his suit.

Steve’s voice sounded very secure, and direct. He told the person that S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to do another sweep, and then the demolition of the island would begin.

Tony had heard that specific change in Steve’s voice only once before. The brunette tried to join him out there on the field, but Steve objected to it. He told him that he didn’t want him out on the field because he didn’t want him “getting hurt”.

They argued about it, and Tony ended up on his hands and knees down in some S.H.I.E.L.D. jet. 

Yaaaah...he was given some orders for sure.

The voice he heard gave him a mini flashback of that encounter, and reminded Tony that he never made a second attempt.

“Captain America” also never came home with Steve.

He wore the suit sometimes at home because it friggen turned Tony on, but the real soldier boy only showed up in moments that they were currently in.

The bold and fearless persona that Steve had right in that moment was like some... yummy unicorn that Tony rarely got to see.

Steve Rogers truly was a tease. The brunette tried to play his cards right, so he could get that unicorn’s attention.

Oh, and by the way... Tony was always gunna be selfish. Sure, he was there to support Charles Xavier and his fun friends on the farm, but ultimately Tony was up to no good.

He kept looking around Three Mile Island, until his greedy heart locked onto Captain America. Ho man, Tony’s hands started itching.

He needed to do way too many things with his hands, and he couldn’t stop looking at the courageous unicorn that was giving orders down below.

Tony wanted some more orders given to him. Uhhh, pronto.

He tried to think of what to do. He didn’t want to spook the unicorn, but he also didn’t want him disappearing when all the S.H.I.E.L.D. work was over.

Tony was determined to explore yet another part of Steve. His current personality was explored only once. JUST ONCE, and Tony was burning up about it.

How the fuck was he going to get that version of Steve home with him?....

Uhh, he pondered it, and he glanced over at some tech. The entire island had a “PA System” and Tony made a quick plan to exploit it.

He immediately thought about a verbal declaration of love that he wanted to send out to his beautiful unicorn. Tony wanted to serenade his love and childhood crush...

Tony hacked into the PA system, and he looked through his music. He settled on the perfect song, and he slowly pressed play.

A man named George Thorogood created a song that explained exactly how Tony felt in that moment.

It was “Bad tothe Bone”, just like Tony. The song not only played out very loudly for all to hear, but it was also playing from the inner workings of his greedy soul.

“Captain America” was either going to love it or hate it down there, but the song played on. 

His love declaration carried over the whole island once it got going, and Tony watched the yummy unicorn react to it.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	95. Get Free (Part 10)

Chapter Ninety-Five: Get Free (Part 10)

* * *

  
Ezekiel stepped into an aircraft known as the “X-Wing”. He was getting a ride home with Xavier, and he glanced behind him to make sure Victor was there.

He was, but he wasn’t too quick about it. A loud song distracted him, so he kept looking out at the island. Victor also followed at a slower pace, because he remembered what Charles Xavier told him.

He advised him not to be alone with Ezekiel, until he was completely “brought back” from the state he was in.

Yet, there Victor was... alone with him. The youngest Strange slowly chewed on his bottom lip as he thought it over.

The song was pretty distracting, so Victor kept looking out. Ezekiel took a few steps toward the opening of the aircraft, and he looked out at the large crowd.

So many people joined in to demolish the system that he helped build. The White Jackal thought it over, until he started looking in Victor’s direction.

Ezekiel started thinking about Victor’s bedroom, and he tried to migrate his thoughts toward something “normal”. He didn’t think intimacy was normal, or maybe it all confused him.

Ezekiel wasn’t sure. He was within his suit, so he felt concealed enough to think it over. Victor started looking in his direction, and Ezekiel forgot about breathing..

He wanted to ask Victor something before anyone else returned to the X-Wing. He ignored the song that was playing through the PA system, and he slowly asked his question.

“Would you like to, stay over? This evening? I was told that the safe house is... Xavier says that it has been given to me.”

He could have guests over, and maybe have some sort of life? That was how Xavier explained it, but the whole thing made Ezekiel nervous.

He waited for Victor’s response, but he couldn’t help but notice a hesitation. Victor stepped back on the question, because he wasn’t sure if he meant that they were going to leave right away, or?

Victor kept staring at the suit, so that made him hesitate even more. He wanted to see Ezekiel’s face, but he..

The Baby Strange wanted to stay with him. He wanted to go with him right at that moment. Victor quietly said that he wanted to go with him. He wanted to spend the night and be there all the time.

That thought had that baby sorcerer blushing. He responded how he felt, and they both noticed something flashy outside the X-Wing.

They saw Tony’s red suit, and it caused Ezekiel to take another step forward. Tony was actually there...

The White Jackal kept staring within his suit, and Victor started thinking that the music had something to do with Tony.

He wasn’t the only person that felt that way. Bucky Barnes listened to that noise when it first blared through the sound system, and he was reminded of Tony after a few seconds.

It was loud and obnoxious, just like Steve’s bambi-eyed brunette. He kept glancing UP when that racket kept going, because he had a feeling he was going to see Steve’s sweetheart at any moment.

Tony clearly needed attention again, or whatever......

Natasha wanted to LAUGH AT BUCKY’S BITTER FACE, but she didn’t. The Widow felt pretty excited in that moment, because the lyrics to the song said it all. It was very Tony Stark, and she couldn’t wait to see him actually show up.

Natasha kept glancing around. She stopped her focus on Steve Rogers. He had his hands permanently attached to his hips, and he kept looking up as well.

It felt like everyone was looking around for the “Iron Man”, but he was hiding somewhere and having the song doing all the talking.

It said, “I wanna be yours pretty baby...Yours and yours alone. I'm here to tell ya honey... That I'm bad to the bone.”

Natasha almost laughed again, because Steve’s face looked... interesting. She wasn’t sure if he was pissed off or not.

He just stepped around, and he kept glancing up. Steve was obviously waiting for the song to end, but Natasha could tell that he was digesting what it said.

Bucky rolled his eyes a few times, and he told Natasha that there weren’t any mutants or people left. The song was obviously annoying Bucky, and that was expected.

Those two were probably never going to get along, and now Natasha understood the real reason why.

Tony was busy. That’s why he wasn’t showing himself to all the others. He was scanning the building for anyone they might have missed, and he even brought one mutant out to safety.

He was helping, ok? He wasn’t just sending some yummy unicorn a musical love note. Tony gave the island another look over, and then he thought about joining the others down below.

Tony didn’t mind demolition work. What he did mind, was being told that he couldn’t be out on the field with Steve.

He had a feeling that they were going to argue again, but Tony was ready. The song was dying down, but his blood was pumping fast.

Tony crossed over toward their side of the island, and he revealed himself to the bulk of the group.

Steve was standing there, looking all brave and yummy. He kept staring at Tony, and those hands remained up on them hips.

“I figured some celebratory music was due. Uhh, great job folks. Bravo.”

His grin was enormous and awkward beneath his suit, but Steve Rogers didn’t budge. He just kept himself firmly planted in the same place, and he watched that red suit move in.

Steve was currently “Cap”, and Cap didn’t play games. He wondered why Tony felt the need to distract everyone while they were trying to remove people that were being held against their will.

It interested Steve, but it didn’t necessarily amuse him.

Tony could see that, and he slooooowwwwwwllllyyyy kept moving in closer and closer toward his fate. Every friggen person there knew that they were together, but the present situation was different.

Steve was in his unicorn form, and Tony was bound and determined to get that version to go home with him.

He decided to earn a lecture. A lecture could possibly keep Steve in that uncommon state.

“A birdie told me that you might need some demolition work? I’m pretty savvy with, wrecking stuff...”

Tony was suddenly begging for a job, because it felt like he cooked his goose. Steve kept staring, and he heard SOMEONE laugh at him.

Tony forced a sharp glare toward his right.

He saw Bucky Bitter Fuck Barnes, and he thought about finally kicking him in the teeth. They reunited after so long, and Tony still wanted him to die.

Tony slowly killed the tunes. He lowered the volume as he spoke, because that steel tight expression did not change.

Captain America looked hawt as fuhhhhkkkk... and Tony started dying in his suit.

Steve picked his shield up, and he secured it behind his shoulder blades. He kept staring at Tony’s suit, and then he turned his head slightly toward his own shoulder.

“Are we clear, Scott?”

Scott Summers was one of the veteran X-Men, and the one doing the final sweep for their team. He responded to Steve, and Tony started shrinking down in his suit.

“We’re clear.”

“Bucky?”

Steve waited for his friend to let him know if they cleared it all on the ground level. He kept staring at Tony. Well, TONY wanted to kindly point out that he scanned the whole area ten times, and he didn’t see any sign of life whatsoever.

Tony could do shit like that, you know. Oh, and they kinda missed one person..... but it’s ok. TONY GOT HER.

“We’re good Steve.”

Bucky responded, and he wanted to laugh at Tony’s bitchass so badly. Steve was clearly annoyed with him, and Bucky was living for it. 

He didn’t even look in his direction. Bucky forced an inward boycott of Tony’s bullshit. Steve slowly smiled, and he changed his focus. The soldier started looking out at the empty island, and he brought his shield back around toward his chest.

“Ok well, let’s make sure they never use this area again. Tear it all down.”

Steve gave the order, and a small smile remained on his face. A bunch of commotion roared up around him, because Tony was actually right. 

A celebratory moment was due, and it was different for everyone. They all just accomplished something that was pretty profound, and “Captain America” felt pretty happy about it.

He was leaning forward on his shield, and he kept watching all the others. He stared for a short while, then he slowly started looking at the only person that suddenly seemed quiet.

Steve started staring directly at Tony, but his expression didn’t budge.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	96. Family Reunion (Part 1)

Chapter Ninety-Six: Family Reunion (Part 1)

* * *

Three Mile Island was going to become X-Men territory, so the giant group decided that they wanted to party.

Charles Xavier wasn’t joining in, but he was very happy for everyone. The psychic made it back to the X-Wing, and he checked in with Ezekiel.

The White Jackal had a bit of work to do before he could go home, so he asked Victor if he would wait for him.

The baby sorcerer was resting against one of the walls of the X-Wing, and he kept looking out at the demolished island.

It looked like a war zone, but everyone seemed pretty friggen happy down there. Victor turned his attention toward Ezekiel, and he said that he could wait. They weren’t alone in the aircraft any longer, but the Jackal started removing his suit.

It peeled away, and Victor started heating up. He glanced around them for a moment, because Ezekiel stepped in close. He pulled Victor in for a slow kiss, but then they both became a bit overwhelmed with what they were doing.

They weren’t quite “public” with their connection at that point, so they both awkwardly recovered and moved about.

“I can meet you down there later, if you want?”

He wasn’t sure how long he was going to be with Charles, and he didn’t want Victor waiting alone. Ezekiel watched him as he shook his head yes.

Victor wanted to see him later. He wanted to go home with him, but he kept all of that to himself. They went their separate ways, and Victor started heading down toward the destruction.

He knew that Tony was down there, so off he went. He looked around for Bucky, or Steve. Victor started hunting for anyone that he knew, but he kept thinking about the kiss he received.

Victor felt out of it. Totally loopy. He didn’t know what hit him, and he wasn’t really sure if he was walking straight. All he knew was, someone was fanning flames, and letting parts of the destruction burn high.

It seemed like the X-Men wanted to send a message. It felt like a message, so the fire kept building.

Tony noticed the same thing. He wasn’t on the same side of the flames as Victor, but he was staring at it. He kept looking around, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place.

He remembered Steve telling him that he could only “consult” with them when he was needed. The unicorn version of Steve gave his reasons for that a long time ago, but Tony felt like he was put on a shelf.

Or, maybe he felt like he was put in a jar for safe keeping. He obsessed over it as everybody around him celebrated.

He lost track of that beautiful unicorn. Steve started talking with most of the older people. That golden thing seemed so official when he last saw him, and Tony didn’t want to interrupt their discussion.

He felt so strange where he stood. 

Tony kept staring at the growing flames, and he heard a pretty quiet voice across the way. Victor called out to him. Tony even watched him wave.

He didn’t expect to see Victor, and he smiled. He smiled beneath his suit, so did it really count? Tony thought that Victor looked cute. They met up beside all the chaos, and Tony mentioned that he was getting taller.

He couldn’t remember the last time he saw Victor. So much had happened, and the brunette couldn’t think. Tony tried to figure it out, but his mind felt pretty swamped.

Swamped, and trying to resist the urge to constantly look around for Steve. Tony decided to hide beneath his suit, because the absence was really getting to him. 

Victor remembered what Ezekiel told him about Tony. The memory of what he heard resurfaced, but the baby sorcerer tried to let it all go.

He wanted to talk to Tony about Ezekiel, but his nerves got the best of him. Victor wasn’t ready for anyone to know, so he just asked him if he had seen his brother.

Victor hadn’t seen Stephen in a while.. he was very out of the loop, but he knew that something happened.

Tony told him that his brother was fine. He was better than ever, and living it up by the beach.

The flames weren’t getting out of control, but Victor started feeling way too hot. He said that he needed to move, so the two of them backed up from the war zone.

That’s when Tony saw him. His yummy unicorn said hello to Victor, and he stopped just beside Tony’s suit.

Steve was done with all the deliberation, so he started looking around for Tony. He didn’t greet him at that point, and he only focused on Victor.

Tony slowly swallowed beneath that armor, and he tried to focus on what Victor was saying to the two of them.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	97. Family Reunion (Part 2)

Chapter Ninety-Seven: Family Reunion (Part 2)

* * *

Clea couldn’t believe it. She was sitting down in a beautiful living room, and she was actually staring at her daughter.

She was in tears an hour or so ago, and completely lost in despair. 

Her little Starchild was trying to grab her father, and Clea smiled as she watched them play. Stephen was sitting on the floor, and keeping her from grabbing his face.

The little girl thought it was hilarious to squish his face, but Stephen decided to turn it into a game. He was in a bit of disbelief as well.

The Starchild looked just like her mother. She had delicate features, with soft hair. Stephen’s heart felt very full in that moment, and he never wanted it to end.

She was already very articulate, and curious. Their Starchild wanted to touch everything around the house, and she asked them to tell her what everything was around them. It was amusing, and Stephen couldn’t stop responding.

What’s this? What’s that? He answered every time.

Clea noticed that she also had a bit of a temper. Stephen wasn’t answering her fast enough at one point, so she made a bothered gesture. Clea thought that she looked just like Stephen. Her face matched perfectly, and their daughter moved on quickly to the next thing.

...just like someone she knew.  


Clea almost laughed about it, and she just watched the two of them. The new mother had to take it all in.

“Would you like to choose your own name?”

Stephen stopped her wandering, and he started fixing her hair. It was long, and a bit wild. He liked “Starchild” as her nickname, but he wanted her to think about her own name.

Stephen glanced over at Clea. He wanted to see her reaction, and hear her opinion. Clea kept watching them, and she kept holding a happy expression.

“My name? What’s your name?”

“Stephen. Your mother’s name is Clea.”

The Starchild looked at her mother. She smiled at her, and continued playing with Stephen’s arms. She tried to turn him into a jungle gym, but he wouldn’t allow it.

Tony taught her how to talk, so Stephen wanted to see it in action. He was glad that Tony was there for her, and he couldn’t imagine how he was ever going to repay him.

The demoted sorcerer kept thinking about it, and he asked her again to think about a name. What was a name anyway?

“You and mommy made me?”

“Yes.”

Hmm. She kept thinking, and she tried to jump on him again. Stephen gave out a small laugh, and he caught her just in time. She made a bunch of playful noises, and she noticed that he was wearing something beneath his shirt.

The Starchild stared at the necklacethat she felt, and she slowly started rubbing her eyes.

“Put your names together, that makes me.”

Squish them into one. That was her plan. A giant smile formed on her face, and she thought about touching what she saw upon her father’s chest. Stephen watched her for a moment, and he stopped her from putting her hands in her mouth.

“Put our names together? Can you do that for me?”

“Ste..plea.”

Her laughter immediately filled the room, because she thought the name was silly. Stephen glanced at Clea again and he playfully started shaking his head no.

“No way young lady. Try again.”

“Clephen.”

“No.”

Clea started laughing at that point. She loved watching them communicate. The Starchild tried jumping, but she ended up hugging her father instead. She felt that amulet beneath her so she started stretching around.

Her energy was all over the place, but Clea could see what she was directing it toward. Their daughter seemed fixated with Stephen’s amulet.

“Stelaeea? I don’t know. Please help me.”

She didn’t know what a good name was, but she really didn’t want a silly one. Stephen fixed her hair again, and he thought about how to help her.

She wanted it to be a combination of their names. He pondered that, and he gently kissed her forehead.

“Stephen and Clea. How about, Sofia?”

He waited for her response. The father started noticing what actually had her attention, and he glanced down at his chest.

Sofia? Soffiiiiiaaa. She said it very loudly, and she brought both of her tiny arms up. Her reaction was a happy one, and it made Stephen laugh.

Clea covered her eyes, because she was in love with them both. She couldn’t handle what she was watching, and she adored the name.

“Do you approve?”

Approve? She knew that word. Sofia Strange blinked a few times, and she told him he truth. She said that she loved her name, and she also loved her mommy.

Stephen had to laugh again. Her reaction was pure, and it warmed his soul. He kissed her forehead again, and she started rubbing her sleepy eyes.

Stephen and Clea were not prepared for a child to be in their life at all. She brought herself down onto Stephen’s lap, and she started hugging him again for some warmth.

She was obviously tired, and he wasvery comfortable for her. She fit just right in his arms, so she made herself right at home.

Sofia also wanted to continue looking at what her father had hidden beneath his shirt. She blinked several times, and she studied the shape.

Stephen and Clea zoned in on one another, and they both held an unsure look. They needed to accomplish way too many things in that moment.

They had no food for her, no bed, no clothes, no nothing. They both didn’t know anything about having a child. Stephen was especially lost when it came to having a little girl in his arms.

His baby brat siblings were no help either, because Stephen was way too distracted growing up. His parents took care of them, and raising children was so far from his mind.

He touched her soft hair again, and noticed that his daughter fell asleep. He listened to her breathe, while Clea watched him smile.

He was instantly obsessed, but he didn’t know what they were gonna do when she woke up.

“Five-year-olds... eat, what exactly?”

Clea heard that, and she stared at her husband. She looked a little scared about the question. She wasn’t that great when it came to human food as it was. She didn’t really know “food names” so she just gave him an unsure look.

Stephen thought about calling his mother, but he immediately changed his mind. Hi, mom? I randomly have a toddler. What do I do?

Stephen quietly laughed at his situation, and he slowly tried to stand up. The demoted sorcerer made it up with ease, and he gave Clea a quick kiss. He started thinking that his younger sister was going to become his victim in the situation.

Donna always owed him a favor, because he was older than her, and smarter. He looked around for the stupid phone, because he couldn’t friggen contact her any other way.

...

The two of them losing their powers was the absolute worst.

* * *

Chapter:END

Thanks for reading.


	98. Family Reunion (Part 3)

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Family Reunion (Part 3)

* * *

The sun was setting on Three Mile Island, and the fire was rising high. The large group was very dedicated to the celebration, so Victor didn’t think the fire was going to ever go out.

He didn’t want it to, and he stared at it off and on. Steve Rogers told him something about his brother. Victor suddenly felt like he was being left in the dark.

Stephen’s powers were diminished, and that was why he couldn’t feel him. Steve had to tell him something, because Victor asked about him being at the beach.

If Stephen was in their dimension with his powers, then Victor would have known about it. Now he understood, and he felt pretty odd about it.

He became... distracted. That’s why he was out of the loop.

Tony studied Victor as Steve spoke to him. He seemed a little down about the news, but he wasn’t even getting the full story.

The brunette noticed something else in that moment. He was trying to keep his eyes from wandering in Steve’s direction, but it was hard.

He looked too handsome, and too heroic... and fearless. Tony wanted to tell him, but he let the loud music say it for him instead.

Tony could be a real chicken shit when it came to yummy unicorns...or love.

Anyway, he kept his focus locked onto Victor Strange. That baby sorcerer seemed spooked all of a sudden, and he started looking in a different direction.

Victor felt Ezekiel’s energy, and he knew that he was somewhere outside of the X-Wing. Victor was still processing what he actually did with Ezekiel, and he still didn’t feel ready for anyone to know about it.

Tony and Steve were a couple, so he briefly thought about...

Victor saw that white suit, and he panicked. He didn’t know how to deflect, or dodge the situation. They were talking about his brother, right? Ok.. Victor tried to wrap it up.

“I’ll check in with him, soon. I didn’t think he was even in this dimension. I gotta go now, so I...”

BYE. Victor tried to beat the incoming tide, but he gasped pretty quickly when he went to leave. Ezekiel walked up with his suit, and he kept looking at Victor.

It took him a moment, but he turned that suit slowly, and he actually faced Tony and Steve.

Tony didn’t even know that Ezekiel was out of prison, so his jaw had officially dropped to the floor. Steve knew, but the situation had changed.

Victor wasn’t hiding beneath a suit, or a unicorn persona. Everything he felt was right there on display, and he looked pretty flustered.

Victor Strange kept staring at that white suit, and anyone looking would have know exactly what was up.

“None of this would be happening without your help today. So, thank you.”

Steve thanked Ezekiel, and he decided to just leave it at that. He couldn’t see any form of a reaction from him, because that “Jackal” was concealed beneath his suit.

Steve couldn’t see it, but Ezekiel started smiling. He wanted Steve’s approval very badly, but he couldn’t talk about it.

He also wanted to ask Tony a question, but he decided to wait. Tony didn’t say anything because he was processing what Steve said.

When he last saw Ezekiel Stane, Steve Rogers wanted to break his face. Tony didn’t know how that changed, and the look on Victor’s face added even more confusion.

That baby Strange looked like he wanted to head for the hills. It was the weirdest thing, but Tony wasn’t stupid. He started catching on, because that white suit changed focus.

“Are you ready?”

Ready? Ready for what? Tony heard a very interesting question being asked from Ezekiel to Victor. That flustered baby face burned even brighter. Victor looked like he didn’t want to answer, or ...he looked a bit panicked.

Hold up.

Tony’s jaw dropped again. Victor didn’t answer him, but he kept turning toward that white suit like he had something to say. Ready for what?? Tony died in his suit.

He felt a yummy hand nudge his shoulder, and Tony snapped out of his sudden death. It seemed like Victor was smitten with that crazy kitten, and Tony wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

That yummy unicorn said something about taking a walk, and Tony swallowed his tongue a few times. A walk? Walk where?

The brunette processed that. He just waved goodbye to what he was seeing, and he slowly followed the fearless leader. Tony followed after the Stars and Stripes.

Victor watched them walk away and he slowly turned in Ezekiel’s direction. His hesitation was noticed again, and Ezekiel started taking it to heart.

He told himself that Victor started changing his mind about him, or that he did something wrong..

He didn’t ask him if he was ready again. Ezekiel just stood there with his negative thoughts, while Victor apologized to him.

Victor said that he felt stupid for freezing up like that, but he was ready to go.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


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